Dear all,
I know there is a Down's screening at around 11-13 week which involve ultrasound and bloodtest. But I was told that I should have the ultrasound done first at around 12 weeks, then bloodtest later at around 15 weeks. Apparently the test result will not add value if I do the bloodtest any earlier.
Did you have them done on the same day? Appreciate your stories!
Sunny :)
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suze
19 yrs ago
Hi my doctor did ultra sound at 16 weeks and concluded that I did not need to have the blood test
unless I really wanted one. He was 99.9% sure all was ok and said that even the blood test is not 100%
conclusive. Each ultra sound since he has checked the back of the neck and still seems fine about it. I did not have the blood test, but had I wanted one he would have done it on the same day as the scan. Hope this helps.
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I did ultrasound at 11 weeks - and blood test at around 15 weeks if I remember correctly. The ultrasound itself was a good enough indicator that things were okay, but the further blood test just reconfirmed things...
It was done differently here in Korea - but i'm not sure how -
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Thanks very much for the info, Suze!
My doctor says it's a traditional approach to do the bloodtest so doctors still prefer to do it on top of the ultrasound. U/S at 11-13 weeks is a newer screening method which can also conclude your risk level in having a Downs baby.
HKchoichoi- is the blood test at 15 week more accurate than at 12 weeks? Why did my doctor say it's meaningless to do it too early? So should I opt to do the bloodtest at 15 weeks or at 12 weeks?
I heard that private GynOb in HK likes to do them at the same time and only if the risk is high, then they will want to do another test at 15 weeks. The reason for doing it at 12 weeks is so you can have D&C if you don't want to baby, but at 15/16 weeks, you cannot have D&C. Does that mean another method of abortion will be done which maybe more painful? I think you can legally have abortion up to week 22 right? Is that the same in HK?
Appreciate all advice and info sharing!
Sunny
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Also, are the two blood tests idential? ie. the one done at week 12 and the one at week 15.
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I asked my dad - his information is this - this is US standard
Nuchal translucensy is not always done nor is it the standard - as of yet. It will be done more regularly and as a standard. It's more been done in research cases - similar to how queen Mary does it in HK.
Rather the standard for determining downs is the Triple or Quad test - which is a blood screening test. This is done at around 15-16 weeks - not earlier. I don't know if it makes a difference earlier, but for most cases it is done at that time. I did quad test in Korea - also at 16 weeks - i'm not clear why it's done at that time and not earlier. I just asked him (handy having him around right now.) According to him, (He's not 100% sure) there is no comparison data available at 12 weeks to measure the alpha fetal protein (which is the indicator.) 15-16 weeks is the standard, and that is where the comparison data is available. hope that helps.
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That's great help. Thanks! I wish my daddy is a GynOb now, haha. The blood test I may undergo involves testing on 3 items/categories: AFP, Total or free β-hCG and uE3. I have no idea what each of them are. Are these 3 items shown on you guys blood test result, and at what week were the blood test done (12th or 16th)?
Thanks!
Sunny
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sounds like you are doing triple test - not quad test. Quad test is not universal as of yet - I remember telling my father I was doing Quad, and he said that is not even US standard.
They are all measurements - your Ob/Gyn should explain them all to you. I know that AFP is alpha Fetal protein - again, my father says that standard is 16 weeks.
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jukew
19 yrs ago
Hi, Sunny, I don't know whether the information is helpful to you to make up your mind regarding the tests to be done.
There is a new screening method based on the researches. I believe that you OB is telling you the combined test. The test includes a measurement of nuchal thickness and a blood test for hCG and PAPP-A (a new marker for Down's screening) at 11-13 weeks. This test can pick up 90% of cases with Down's syndrome. This is certainly better than the triple of quad test which can only pick up about 70% of cases.
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Thanks jukew!! It's very interesting to know that there is a new test. I will ask my doctor about it.
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There are several tests for Downs Screening.
1. OSCAR TEST = Nuchal test (ultrasound) blood test at 12 - 14 weeks
2. Integrated Test = Ultrasound at 12 weeks and blood tests at 15 weeks
3. Blood test at 15 + weeks
both 1 and 2 achieve similar sensitivity, therefore most would choose 1. as you would know earlier and if required chorio-villous sampling can be done immediately.
Health Centre
Matilda International Hospital
Hong Kong
http://www.matilda.org
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Thanks Matilda for that information and reassure me that it's okay to do them at the same time.
Sunny :)
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