Question
When I was pregnant with my first child, I had an abnormal Down Syndrome screening and underwent amniocentesis surgery. The result showed that one pair of chromosomes was slightly short, and the pregnancy was terminated. A year later, when I was pregnant with my second child, the Down Syndrome screening was normal, and I gave birth to a daughter who is now 6 years old. I would like to ask if there is still a need for amniocentesis when I have my third child and the Down Syndrome screening is normal?
Answer
Down Syndrome screening is a method that involves extracting the mother’s serum to detect the levels of alpha-fetoprotein and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in the mother’s serum, calculating the risk factors for the birth of a Down Syndrome baby. The best time to screen for the baby is between the 15th to 20th week of pregnancy. If the risk is high, further amniocentesis and fetal chromosome testing should be done. The examination can confirm the diagnosis. Guidance: Generally, amniocentesis is not recommended if the Down Syndrome screening is normal, as it is an invasive procedure.