Down Syndrome and Pregnancy - Prenatal Testing for Down Syndrome

What You Need to Know About Down Syndrome To Make a Decision

If you are pregnant, you may be considering prenatal testing in your pregnancy. There are a lot of factors to consider before making a decision including your chance to have a baby with a problem such as Down syndrome, the different types of prenatal testing, the information that each test may give you, the risks of the procedures and what you would do with the information you receive.

Before you can make a decision about what type of prenatal testing (if any), you want in your pregnancy, it is important to have all the facts about your options. While it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of different testing options, it is equally, if not more important, to consider what you would do with the results.

Who Should Consider Prenatal Testing?

Should everyone have prenatal testing, or is it something that only certain women should consider? Until recently, prenatal diagnostic testing was only offered to women age 35 and older. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists now recommends that all women be offered prenatal testing. It is up to each woman to decide for herself if she wants to have diagnostic or screening tests during her pregnancy or is he want to decline all testing during her pregnancy. In order to decide whether or not to have prenatal testing, it is important to under your chance to have a child with Down syndrome and to consider what you would do with the results of your prenatal testing.

While maternal age and screening results are two of the biggest reasons that women have prenatal testing, there are other reasons that a couple might want to discuss prenatal testing options. If you have other risk factors, a genetic counselor may be able to help you determine exactly your risk in the pregnancy is and what testing options you may want to consider.

Reasons to See A Genetic Counselor During Your Pregnancy

Types of Prenatal Testing

There are two basic approaches to prenatal testing -- diagnostic tests and screening test. A screening tests gives you an estimate of your risk or chance to have a baby with a certain condition such as Down syndrome. It does not give you a firm diagnosis. Screening tests are designed to distinguish higher risk pregnancies from lower risk pregnancies. If you are found to have a higher risk to have a fetus with a certain conditions, you will be offered diagnostic testing such as amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling. Diagnostic tests are optional during a pregnancy. They give you a firm diagnosis, that is, they tell you for sure whether or not your fetus has a chromosome problem such as Down syndrome. However, while they can give you a diagnosis, some risks are associated with these procedures.

Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of testing so that you can best decide which test, if any, is best for you.