Question

Doctor, hello. My wife is currently 16 weeks and 3 days pregnant. She just had a Down Syndrome screening test two days ago, with a result of one in every eight hundred. The doctor said this result was not ideal and asked if we wanted to proceed with further tests. What is the accuracy rate of the Down Syndrome screening? Do we need to undergo further testing?

Answer

Down Syndrome screening is a basic test, not a diagnostic result. Generally, results are categorized as low-risk or high-risk. A 21-triploid value below 1:270 is usually not a big concern. If there is a higher risk, further confirmation can be obtained through amniocentesis, but there’s no need to worry about it being normal. If amniocentesis confirms Down Syndrome, it is recommended to terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible. I suggest you don’t worry too much right now and wait to see the results before deciding anything.