When performed without the double marker test, the NT scan is less effective at detecting potential abnormalities. The information gathered from both tests is what gives the result of a low-, moderate-, or high-risk of abnormalities. It’s all about personal choice and your own health history, so there’s really no right or wrong answers to your questions.įor the most accurate results, the double marker test (blood test) and NT scan (ultrasound) are used together in the first trimester screening. Would the results change how you’d manage your pregnancy?.Would you want to go for more invasive testing if you receive a result that indicates heightened risk?.Would knowing about possible abnormalities ease or worsen your anxiety?.It doesn’t definitively determine whether your baby has any abnormalities.īefore deciding whether you want a double marker test, you might ask yourself what the results would mean to you in the long run. It’s important to remember that the result only tells you whether there’s an increased risk of trisomies. That said, the screening (and others like the cell-free DNA test) is recommended if you’re over the age of 35 or may have an elevated risk of chromosomal issues, such as if you have a family history of certain conditions. The first trimester screening - double marker test and NT scan - isn’t mandatory. Instead, the blood test is used along with an ultrasound called a nuchal translucency (NT) scan, which examines the clear tissue at the back of your baby’s neck. However, blood levels alone don’t produce your results. Levels of hCG and PAPP-A may be either higher or lower than “normal” in pregnancies with these chromosomal abnormalities. These common chromosomal abnormalities involve an extra copy of chromosome 18 (Edward’s syndrome) or chromosome 13 (Patau’s syndrome). This common trisomy is also referred to as trisomy 21 because there’s an extra copy of chromosome 21. In a typical pregnancy, there will be either 22 pairs of XX chromosomes in female fetuses or 22 pairs of XY chromosomes in male fetuses.Ī trisomy is a chromosomal condition in which there are extra chromosomes, such as the following: Specifically, this test screens for blood levels of both free beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A). Instead, it’s classified as a predictive test, which means its results report the likelihood of chromosomal abnormalities. The double marker test, also known as maternal serum screening, is part of a more comprehensive screening called the first trimester screening.
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