What is the first trimester screening about and who needs it?
The First Trimester Screening combines historical data, high resolution ultrasound scans with the mother’s blood. It is conducted earlier than most other prenatal screening tests, between the 11 to 13 weeks of your pregnancy. As a routine prenatal screening test, it is safe and poses no risk of miscarriage or other pregnancy complications. It has, over the years, developed into an improved version as it screens for common chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, early structural abnormalities, and the risk of early preeclampsia (a condition which manifests as high blood pressure with proteins in the urine during pregnancy that requires delivery before 34 weeks). I recommend this test to all pregnant women regardless of age, as it is now recognised as the best screening test for Down syndrome. It is better than screening for Down syndrome just by maternal age alone. Knowing the risk of severe pre-eclampsia early in pregnancy also allows the identification of those at high risk t
