What are the advantages of first trimester screening?
First-trimester screening lets you learn about your baby’s risk for chromosomal problems relatively early in the pregnancy without subjecting yourself to the slight risk of miscarriage from an invasive test like CVS. If the risk is low, the results will offer you some reassurance. If the risk is high, you may have the opportunity to consider CVS (Chorionic Villous Sampling) or amniocentesis diagnostic test, which will reveal whether your baby has a problem while you’re still in your first trimester. The sensitivity of this test is about 92%.
First trimester screening is done earlier in the pregnancy and can give couples important information as early as possible. First trimester screen results can be combined with second trimester screen results to detect more real cases of Down syndrome and trisomy 18, at the same time avoiding too many false positive results. Increased nuchal translucency has also been associated with other fetal anomalies such as cardiac defects. A second trimester fetal anatomy ultrasound and echocardiogram are recommended if the NT is increased.
