| Screening and Detecting Down Syndrome | | | | |
| | | | Combining ultrasound and maternal blood tests |
| Parents frequently want to know what to | | | | |
| expect of their unborn child. | | | | The combination of ultrasound and maternal |
| | | | blood testing increases the odds of early |
| Ultrasound tests are frequently performed not | | | | detection to 90% with only 5% erroneous |
| only to check on the progression of the | | | | positive results. False positives are |
| pregnancy, but to find out the baby's gender | | | | maddening, stressful errors in the testing |
| and size. | | | | process, and can lead new parents to believe |
| | | | they have a child with Down's Syndrome when, |
| While ultrasound testing is usually a lovely | | | | in fact, they don't. |
| bonus for any parent, these tests can be | | | | |
| invaluable life-savers to parents who believe | | | | While testing procedures have improved |
| their child to be at risk for Down's | | | | greatly, keep this small chance in mind when |
| Syndrome. In addition to advances in | | | | looking at test results. |
| ultrasound, maternal blood screening tests | | | | |
| have advanced to the point where more | | | | Use of ultrasound and maternal blood testing |
| dangerous procedures can frequently be | | | | can help avoid the necessity of the more |
| avoided. | | | | definitive tests. However, if screening up to |
| | | | this point has indicated a strong possibility |
| Ultrasounds and detecting Down Syndrome | | | | of Down's Syndrome in your baby, you may want |
| | | | to go ahead and have the more definitive |
| Ultrasound tests can be done in the first | | | | tests done to get a real, concrete answer. |
| trimester to check for early signs of Down's | | | | |
| Syndrome, such as thicker than normal neck | | | | Sceening the baby more invasively |
| skin. | | | | |
| | | | Be aware that these tests carry a small risk |
| In the early second trimester, an ultrasound | | | | of endangering the baby and the mother |
| test may be able to show another potentially | | | | because all of them involve physically |
| problematic sign, the lack of a normal nasal | | | | invading the uterus for a tissue sample. This |
| bone. | | | | risk is why avoiding them as much as possible |
| | | | is a good idea. |
| Ultrasound is not a definitive test for a | | | | |
| number of reasons. The mother will be moving | | | | These tests include umbilical cord blood |
| slightly during the test, no matter how hard | | | | testing, sampling of placental tissue, and |
| she tries to be still. Her breathing moves | | | | amniocentesis. |
| her uterus, if nothing else. In addition, of | | | | |
| course, babies move around like mad as any | | | | Amniocentesis involves taking a sample of |
| pregnant lady who's tried to sleep through a | | | | amniotic fluid from within the placental sac. |
| kicking child can attest. Because ultrasound | | | | Because these tests involve breaching the |
| testing involves bouncing sound waves in | | | | integrity of the uterus and/or placental |
| order to get a clear picture, movement can | | | | fluid sac, they have a small chance of |
| give false results either way. | | | | causing a miscarriage or other damage. |
| | | | |
| However, these early ultrasound tests can | | | | Conclusion |
| help both doctors and parents make informed | | | | |
| decisions to proceed or not with further | | | | If the tests should come up positive, realize |
| Down's Syndrome tests. | | | | that your child can enjoy a happy and full |
| | | | life with early intervention and loving care. |
| Maternal Blood Screening | | | | |
| | | | As diagnosis occured before birth, you have |
| If the ultrasounds indicate that the unborn | | | | the opportunity to maximize your child's |
| baby may have Down's Syndrome, maternal blood | | | | capability, potential and quality of life. |
| screening is a good next step. | | | | |
| | | | Children with Down's Syndrome are, first and |
| These blood tests are taken from Mom and look | | | | foremost, children, with all the capacity for |
| for several factors in her blood that | | | | love, wonder and life implied thereby. |
| indicate potential Down's Syndrome. | | | | |