And the list never ends! You keep on hearing new names from your doctor, which probably bothers you. But don’t be. Help yourself by knowing...
And the list never ends! You keep on hearing new names from your doctor, which probably bothers you. But don’t be. Help yourself by knowing about it.
Now that you are in the second trimester of your pregnancy, you must be listening to the names of some strange tests that your doctor is recommending you to go through.
So, have you heard of the Quad Marker Test or Quadruple Marker Test?
If not yet, you will be soon listening to it or if you have, you must be wondering, what is it about, how is it conducted, is there any risk related to the test, or what are the results in my favor?
The days are already difficult and nauseating, so don’t get stressed about the test. Just relax and keep your eyes open, we are here to help you with this. Click Here, To know more about Quad Mar`ker Test.
So, let’s first get some basics about the test.
A quad marker screen is simply a blood test. Yes, It’s easy. You just need to give a little sample of your blood and that’s it, you are done. And the rest is taken care of by your doctor. The test is recommended and conducted in your second trimester, mainly between 15-22 weeks necessarily for women who are more than 35 years or having any historical birth defect or complications in the family.
What difference does it make?
There is a great purpose behind this test. The test tells your doctor about the chances that your baby is carrying any genetic or neural disorder, birth defect, or any other complication or not. Your baby is still not diagnosed for any of the problems, it is just a screening test it does not necessarily mean that your baby is going to be affected by some problem. Many babies have made their way to be normal even after some complications.
The test is important because it can detect conditions like Down’s syndrome, neural tube defect, and other chromosomal abnormalities. To know more about Down’s Syndrome, Click Here
Wanna know how it’s done?
Just a few ounces of your blood.
Your doctor will simply collect your blood sample from one of your veins, which obviously wouldn’t hurt. Now, your doctor’s work is to screen out the levels of four substances found in your blood. The four substances in which your doctor is interested are alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, unconjugated estriol, and inhibin-A. The high or low levels of these substances in your blood indicate different complications and risks that your child can have.
You must be worried about the risks involved in this test, as you are a vigilant mother. You’ll be relieved to know that the quad screen does not pose any risks of miscarriage or any other complications. It is just a basic prenatal screening test. However, the results may cause you anxiety but in the end, it depends on you, how you deal with it.
Worried about the results? Don't be, keep calm!
The healthcare provider analyzes the test results by using your age at the estimated time of delivery and determines your chances of carrying a baby with chromosomal defects, neural tube defects, and abdominal wall defects. Certain factors affect the substances measured by a quad screen like:
Maternal race,
Maternal weight,
Diabetes,
IVF,
Smoking during pregnancy,
Carrying more than one baby,
A miscalculation of how long you’ve been pregnant.
A “positive” result simply means that the levels of some or all the substances in your blood were outside the normal range. In this case, the doctor might recommend an ultrasound to check the baby’s gestational age and find out the number of babies you are carrying. You may also choose to go for further tests like:
Prenatal cell-free DNA screening,
Targeted ultrasound,
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS),
Amniocentesis.
Remember! The quad screen results only indicate your probability of carrying a baby with birth defects and are not 100% accurate. Consult a genetic counselor or your doctor to understand the test results better.
Want to know more about the Quad Marker Test, Click Here
REFERENCE
https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Prenatal-Genetic-Screening-Tests. Accessed Oct. 11, 2018.
https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/prenatal-care-and-tests. Accessed Oct. 11, 2018.
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/prenatal-genetic-screening-tests
https://www.fortishealthcare.com/india/key-medical-procedures/quad-screen-test-72#:~:text=Quad%20Screen%20or%20Quadruple%20marker,women's%20blood%20as%20mentioned%20below.