Question
How should one handle a high risk for Down syndrome? What are the other normal tests and results during the 14th-week examination when there’s a high risk for Down syndrome? Do further tests need to be conducted, and how should one proceed?
Answer
Down syndrome screening is conducted by measuring the concentrations of fetal protein A and gonadotropin in the pregnant woman’s serum, combined with her due date, age, weight, and gestational age at the time of blood draw to assess the risk of a Down syndrome fetus. Children with Down syndrome often suffer from severe intellectual developmental delays and cardiovascular diseases, requiring long-term family care and imposing significant psychological and economic burdens on the family. It is recommended to perform amniocentesis and fetal chromosome testing in this situation to determine whether Down syndrome is present.