Women need to undergo various examinations during pregnancy, and Down syndrome screening is a diagnostic measure for Down syndrome, a congenital chromosomal abnormality. The best time for Down syndrome screening is during the examination period. If it exceeds this time, considering the safety of pregnant women, it may not be suitable to undergo Down syndrome screening again. So, what is a Tang screening test done at 17 weeks of pregnancy?
Pregnant women receive blood tests between 15-20 weeks, and the hospital will measure serum levels of alpha fetoprotein, chorionic gonadotropin, free estriol, and inhibin. Based on the age, gestational weeks, and weight of the pregnant woman, the risk of Down syndrome in the fetus will be calculated.
Down syndrome screening refers to a special examination method that targets a specific population without any corresponding disease prompts. Through examination, high-risk individuals with a high likelihood of developing a certain disease are screened out for subsequent diagnostic testing. It should be clarified that the purpose of screening is not to diagnose a specific disease, but to identify individuals with a higher likelihood of developing a particular disease.
The screening and diagnosis of Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 syndrome, and congenital neural tube defects is a systematic approach. Firstly, for all pregnant women, screening methods are used to identify those with high risks of congenital idiocy, tongue extending dementia, and other three diseases in the fetus. The next step is diagnostic testing. If the fetus is ultimately diagnosed with these congenital diseases, the pregnant woman can make her own decision on whether to continue the pregnancy.
