- Tests to screen for Down Syndrome in fetuses include the nuchal translucency test, quadruple screen test and ultrasound. These tests can tell you the chances of your baby having Down Syndrome but cannot provide a definitive answer.
- Down Syndrome can be diagnosed with about 99 percent accuracy through the use of an amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling or percutaneous umbilical blood sampling. These tests carry a very low risk of miscarriage.
- The chances of having a baby with Down Syndrome increase with maternal age: a 30-year-old has a 1 in 900 chance of having a child with Down Syndrome while a 40-year-old has a 1 in 100 chance.
- Fetuses with Down Syndrome are more likely to show heart defects, a short femur, thick skin at the back of the neck and a hyperechogenic bowel on an ultrasound.
- Down Syndrome is associated with reduced fetal activity, possibly due to reduced muscle tone. However, all babies have different activity patterns so low activity cannot be considered a sign of Down Syndrome.
Prenatal Screening
Prenatal Diagnosis
Maternal Age
Markers
Activity
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