At the point when you find out you’re pregnant, probably everything thing you can manage is to start prenatal care – – a progression of routine encounters with your PCP or a certified attendant to beware of the strength of you and your child. You can pose inquiries about what’s in store, and you’ll get exhortation on the most proficient method to best care for yourself. Your PCP will likewise search for any issues, so you can catch and regard them as soon as could be expected.
During the primary trimester of pregnancy, there are two kinds of tests you can get to check for any issues with the baby:
- Screening tests let you know how likely it is that your child has Down syndrome. For instance, you might find out that there’s a 1 in 100 possibilities that your child has it.
- Diagnostic tests let know if your child has it – – it’s a reasonable yes or no.
There are upsides and downsides to the two sorts of tests. Screening tests don’t offer you a definite response, however, diagnostic tests have a little gamble of causing a miscarriage. Normally, you could begin with a screening test. Then, at that point, assuming it looks like Down syndrome is plausible, you could get a diagnostic test. These tests ought to be led close by prenatal counseling to grasp their results.
It’s your decision which tests to get, and you don’t need to get any of them. A few guardians need to find out because they feel it will assist them with getting prepared. Others don’t feel they need to be aware. On the off chance that you don’t know what to do, your PCP or a hereditary counselor can help.
Screening Tests
There are a couple of kinds of screening tests you can get.
First trimester combined test. You normally get this one at some point between the eleventh and fourteenth seven-day stretch of pregnancy. It has two sections:
- A blood test searches for what specialists call “markers,” meaning proteins, chemicals, or different substances that could be an indication of Down syndrome.
- Ultrasound takes a gander at the liquid in a space of the child’s neck called the “nuchal crease.” If the liquid level is higher than ordinary, it very well may be an indication of Down syndrome.
Integrated screening test. For this one, you get two tests taken at various times. The first is very much like the principal trimester combined test. Then, at that point, during weeks 15-22, you get another blood test called the “quad screen.” It searches for four distinct markers that could be indications of Down syndrome.
To be somewhat more certain of the results, you’d get this test instead of only the main trimester combined test.
Cell DNA. DNA is what’s under the surface of your qualities, and some DNA from the baby winds up in the mother’s blood. This test takes a gander at that DNA for indications of Down syndrome. You can get this test starting at 10 weeks, however, it’s mainly utilized for ladies who are bound to have a child with Down syndrome.
Diagnostic Tests
These sorts of tests take a gander at the child’s chromosomes to avoid Down syndrome. A “positive” result implies your child no doubt has Down syndrome. A “negative” signifies your child doubtlessly doesn’t have it. Diagnostic tests have some gamble of causing an unnatural birth cycle.
Amniocentesis (“amnio”) tests an example of an amniotic liquid, which encompasses your child in the belly. Your primary care physician gets the example by placing a needle through your midsection.
There is a slight gamble of unsuccessful labor – – around 0.6% – – with a second-trimester amnio, while research shows the gamble being higher before 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) tests cells from the placenta, which passes supplements from mother to child. Your PCP gets the cells either through your cervix or with a needle through your stomach. It tends to be done at 10 to 12 weeks – – sooner than you can get an amnio – – yet has a marginally higher possibility of causing an unnatural birth cycle or different issues.
Cordocentesis likewise called “percutaneous umbilical blood sampling,” or PUBS is done at 18 to 22 weeks. Your primary care physician utilizes a needle to take blood from the umbilical rope. This technique has about a 1.4% to 1.9% possibility of unsuccessful labor, more than different tests, so it’s possibly done on the off chance that the others don’t give clear results.
Hereditary Counseling
Assuming you want assistance understanding the results, you should converse with a hereditary counselor. They’re exceptionally trained in hereditary circumstances, as well as helping individuals talk through challenging issues.
They can address you about gambles, walkthrough potential results, and assist you with figuring out which tests could check out for you. Assuming you have a higher gamble of having a child with Down syndrome, you should converse with a hereditary counselor before you get pregnant, however, it tends to be exceptionally useful later, as well.
