Question
How many weeks into pregnancy can I get a Down syndrome test?
Answer
A Down syndrome test is a method that involves taking a pregnant woman’s serum sample to detect the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein and human chrionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone in the maternal serum, and then, by combining this with the due date, age, weight, and gestational week at the time of blood collection, calculates the risk coefficient of giving birth to a Down syndrome child. The optimal time for this screening is between the 15th to 20th week of pregnancy.