First-trimester screening is done early in the pregnancy, generally between 10 ½ and 13 ½ weeks. The screening incorporates data from both a blood test and an ultrasound examination.

The screening requires a tiny sample of the mother’s blood. This sample can be obtained by a finger stick or a blood pull from the arm. After that, the sample is tested for two pregnancy hormones. During pregnancy, both substances are typically generated.

The quantity of fluid collected under the skin at the back of the baby’s neck is measured during the ultrasound examination. The nuchal translucency measurement is a natural buildup of fluid typically enhanced when a growing infant has Down syndrome. This measurement must be precise. Therefore, a physician or sonographer should always be conducted who has received adequate certification, such as that given by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Foundation’s Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program.

The ultrasound and blood test findings are then coupled with maternal variables like age and weight to determine the likelihood of Down syndrome in the current pregnancy.

How Long Does It Take to Get The Reports?

You may typically expect your down syndrome screening test in Kolkata to result in one week or less from the time the blood sample is collected.

How Reliable are The Results?

As determined by the ultrasound scan and blood test, your specific risk is a highly accurate picture of your developing baby’s chances of having Down syndrome.

Ninety percent of Down syndrome pregnancies will have screen positive findings. This indicates that about 9 out of 10 Down syndrome pregnancies will be ‘screen positive.’ A ‘screen positive’ result, on the other hand, does not suggest that the baby has Down syndrome; rather, it indicates that the risk is high enough that additional assessment of the pregnancy is warranted. A diagnostic procedure, like amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, is the sole means to determine whether or not a growing baby has Down syndrome.

If your doctor has asked you to get a first-trimester screening test in Kolkata, make sure you’re doing it from a reputed diagnostic centre. It is critical to know the accurate results.