Prenatal testing: Brief guide to typical checks

Prenatal screening checks can provide data about your baby’s health and fitness prior to he or she is born. Take into account the timing and what prenatal testing can expose.

By Mayo Clinic Team

Prenatal testing is available in all pregnancies. Here is an overview of typical prenatal screening checks:

What it is When it can be performed What the effects could tell you Adhere to-up
Mobile-free DNA (cfDNA) screening
Blood exam As early as week ten Chance of Down syndrome (trisomy 21), trisomy eighteen and trisomy 13 and fetal intercourse Attainable invasive testing, these types of as chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis
1st trimester screening
Blood exam and ultrasound eleven-fourteen months Chance of Down syndrome (trisomy 21) and trisomy eighteen Attainable invasive testing, these types of as chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis cell-free DNA screening might also be thought of
Quad display
Blood exam fifteen-22 months Chance of Down syndrome (trisomy 21), trisomy eighteen and open up neural tube problems, these types of as spina bifida Attainable targeted ultrasound, or invasive testing these types of as chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis cell-free DNA screening might also be thought of

Some health and fitness treatment providers select to combine the effects of 1st trimester screening with the quad display — though you is not going to learn the last effects of this sequential testing right until the two checks are completed and analyzed.

In addition, fetal ultrasound typically performs an crucial role in prenatal treatment and screening. Early in pregnancy, ultrasound can be applied to validate and date a pregnancy. Later, ultrasound can be applied to detect specified birth problems and fetal anomalies, which includes neural tube problems.

Blood checks and ultrasounds pose constrained challenges for you and your infant. If the effects of a blood exam or ultrasound are optimistic or worrisome, your health and fitness treatment provider could recommend a much more invasive diagnostic exam — these types of as chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis. These checks can be applied to diagnose situations, but they have a slight possibility of pregnancy loss.

If you might be worried about prenatal testing or question no matter if you need to have distinct screening or diagnostic checks, go over the challenges and benefits with your health and fitness treatment provider.