Question
Why do pregnant women need to undergo Down syndrome screening?
Answer
Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality associated with age that can significantly impact a child’s development and life. To prevent the occurrence of Down syndrome, doctors recommend that pregnant women undergo a Down syndrome screening during prenatal exams. The Down syndrome test is a method that involves extracting the pregnant woman’s serum and measuring the concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin, while also combining factors such as the due date, age, weight, and gestational age at the time of blood collection to estimate the risk coefficient of having a Down syndrome child. Although Down syndrome is a sporadic disease, every pregnant woman has the possibility of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome. Moreover, as age increases, the risk of having a Down syndrome child also gradually increases. Therefore, to avoid giving birth to a sick child, it is recommended that every pregnant woman undergoes a Down syndrome screening. If symptoms of Down syndrome are detected in the child, the mother should immediately bring the child to a regular hospital for diagnosis and treatment.