Patient's question:
Last week, I accompanied my wife to the hospital for a prenatal check-up. The doctor said she needed to have a Down syndrome screening, and the results are not yet available. I wanted to ask if the Down syndrome screening is for checking a specific disease? Is it required for every pregnant woman, or only those with symptoms of the condition?Doctor's answer:
Generally speaking, the Down syndrome screening should be around 18 to 20 weeks, mainly for Down syndrome. That is to say, congenital mental retardation. If it is high-risk, pregnancy should be terminated in a timely manner. Once the baby is born, it will impose a great burden on the family, the child, and society, mainly due to the baby's slow growth and low intelligence. Therefore, we must screen for diseases in a timely manner. The main purpose is to play a role in early prevention.