Screening in pregnancy
Although there is a higher risk of older women having a baby with Down's syndrome Define Down's syndrome , most babies with Down's syndrome are born to women in their twenties and thirties as this is when most women have children.
Blood-screening tests Define Blood screening can indicate whether a pregnant woman has an increased risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome. But these can be unreliable.
However, if blood-screening tests show there might be an increased risk, women can have a further diagnostic test Define Diagnostic test to show definitely whether the baby has Down's syndrome. Diagnostic testing carries a small risk of miscarriage Define Miscarriage .
Some people want to know for certain whether their baby has Down's syndrome and choose to have further testing, while others decide to wait and see.
No one can tell parents what to do or how to feel. The right decision for one family may be very different for another.
Further Reading
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Related Website
- NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
- NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) has developed standards relating to pregnancy and newborn screening. The standards will be used by NHS QIS to assess performance by NHS Boards throughout Scotland where pregnancy and newborn screening services are provided.
- www.nhshealthquality.org