Screening in pregnancy
Every pregnant woman in England should be offered screening in
pregnancy, however to access these it is important to attend
antenatal services early in pregnancy. Information is available in
the NHS "Screening tests for you and your baby" booklet which can
be obtained from the midwives at your health centre.
The NHS fetal anomaly screening programme (FASP) offers
screening for fetal anomalies, Down's syndrome (also known as
Trisomy 21 or T21), Edwards' syndrome (Trisomy 18/T18) and Patau's
syndrome (Trisomy 13/T13).
Screening for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes in
pregnancy in the South West Region
A screening test for these conditions, called the first
trimester "combined test", is available between 10 and 14 weeks of
pregnancy. If you choose to have the combined test, a blood sample
is taken from you. At the dating ultrasound scan the fluid at the
back of the baby's neck is measured (known as the nuchal
translucency). The information from these 2 tests is combined to
work out the risk (how likely it is) of the baby having Down's,
Edwards' or Patau's syndrome.
You can choose to have screening for:
- Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes
- Down's syndrome only
- Edwards' and Patau's syndromes only
- none of the conditions
If you are too far on in your pregnancy to have the combined
test for Down's syndrome, you will be offered a blood test between
14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. This test is not quite as accurate as
the combined test. If you are too far on in your pregnancy to have
the combined test for Edwards' and Patau's syndromes, you will be
offered a mid-pregnancy scan which will look for physical
abnormalities.
The screening test cannot harm you or the baby but
it is important to consider carefully whether to have this test or
not. This test cannot tell you if the baby definitely has Down's,
Edwards' or Patau's syndromes or not. The screening test can
provide information that may lead to further important decisions.
For example, you may be offered diagnostic tests that have a risk
of miscarriage.
For further information:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/screening-amniocentesis-downs-syndrome.aspx
Mid-pregnancy anomaly scan
The scan will look in detail at the baby's bones, heart, brain,
spinal cord, face, kidneys and abdomen. It usually takes place
between 18 weeks, and 20 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy.
In most cases the scan will show that the baby appears to be
developing as expected but sometimes a problem is found or
suspected. Some problems can be seen more clearly than others.
For further information:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/anomaly-scan-18-19-20-21-weeks-pregnant.aspx
Other screening tests in pregnancy
Sickle cell & thalassaemia screening is a blood test offered
in early pregnancy to find out if you are a carrier of the sickle
cell or thalassaemia gene and therefore likely to pass it on to the
baby. All pregnant women are offered a test for thalassaemia but
not all women are automatically offered a test for SCD. The
screening offered depends on where you live. If you are a carrier
of a haemoglobin disease, the baby's father will be offered a blood
test. If the baby's father is also a carrier you will be offered
diagnostic tests to find out if the baby is affected.
For further information:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/screening-sickle-cell-thalassaemia-pregnant.aspx
Some private companies also provide screening tests that you
have to pay for. The NHS cannot guarantee the quality of private
screening. For further information contact Antenatal results &
choices (Tel no.: 0845 077 2290 /
www.arc-uk.org)
The screening midwives are Anne Duffner and Magda Wigram