Ultrasound? Check. Blood work? Check. For many moms-to-be, these tests aren’t cause for alarm. But what about screening for Down syndrome?  

It’s one of the scarier things to consider during a pregnancy – that your baby might be born with a major problem. Yet if you’re over 35 or if you or your partner have a personal or family history of Down syndrome or other present-at-birth (congenital) problems, your doctor will likely mention screening tests.  

Screening tests can identify – or rule out – if your baby is at increased risk of having Down syndrome, spina bifida or other major problems at birth.  They’re typically done between 11 and 15 weeks and involve a maternal blood test and sometimes a nuchal translucency scan. 

According to a Wiser Pregnancy survey, 51% of doctors suggested a quad screen blood test or similar screening test.  (There are four types of screening tests, but many offices only offer one or two types because they offer similar information.) 
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If you’re expecting, you may have already had one or more prenatal tests such as amniocentesis or a triple screen.

But sometimes it can be hard to know which test to get and what the results mean. Here’s a brief guide.

Pregnancy tests can give health care providers and parents information about the baby’s well-being and the pregnancy’s progress. They can show whether you are carrying twins or if your baby has a birth defect.

There are two types of prenatal tests: screening tests and diagnostic tests.

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