Maternal serum screening result

[Pregy E]

Hi guys,

I just got my results back for the Maternal serum screening I came out at 1/653 for DS however i am a little confused. I understand that the result its outside the high risk zone but are there risk ranges defined... what am I? Low, medium??? Does anyone out there know?

Thanks

[BeautifulMadness]

let me see if i can remember....i think thats in the low range from what i can remember

[SamiH]

From memory anything under 1/300 is considered medium and recommend further testing if you wish to pursue. Depends on your age too - mine was 1/190 based on age alone but bloods pushed it out to the thousands with combined u/s results.

[HotI]

Hi

It all depends on how you perceive the risk figure given. Basically if there were 653 women with the same results as you, one woman would have a child with Down Syndrome and 652 women would have a child without Down Syndrome.

The 1/300 'high risk' figure is based on the risk of termination if subsequent diagnostice tests are performed. CVS has a theoretical risk of 1/100 and Amnio a risk of 1/200 of the pregnancy terminating post procedure. In Aust, the risks are probably lower than this and the more experienced the operator the risk goes down again. The 1/300 'high risk' figure is used because above this, people are taking a greater chance of losing their pregnancy through having testing than the risk is of them having a child with Down syndrome (or other chromosomal variation).

One woman may see 1/450 as a great figure, where another will become concerned by this value. That is why woman are generally given the actual numbers and not just a category.

Take care,

Kate

[DaintreeDream]

1/300 and lower is high risk - I am 26 and my pregnancy was a 1 in 3 risk of down syndrome - my daughter does not have down syndrome. Just remember that it is just a screening test for possible risks.

[satya]

As the others have said 1/300 is considered risky. Mine came in at 1/37 for DS mainly because of a 4.2mm NT measurement but also due to my age (42). My bub was born without DS.

The hard bit about these non invasive tests is they can't really tell you anything. Women who come in as low risk can still have DS babies. The only way you can know for sure is to have an amnio or CVS and with a result like yours it's unlikely to be recommended.