What does an Abnormal Screening Result mean?
If a woman’s maternal serum screening result is abnormal, it DOES NOT necessarily mean that the baby HAS a birth defect, but rather that the risk is higher than average. The results can vary from a slightly increased risk to a more significant one. The laboratory report states a woman’s specific risk, and also shows it pictured on a graph. False positive screening results happen in less than 10% of women under 35 years of age (20-25% of women age 35 or older).
