Triple test is a test performed by measuring alphafetoprotein (AFP), b-hCG and unconjugated Estriol (uE3) in maternal blood. It is usually done between 16-20 weeks, but can be done between 15-22 weeks. This procedure, which is performed by taking a small amount of blood from the mother's arm, such as the blood taken for each test, has no harm or side effects to the mother or the baby. By adding inhibin-A measurement to the Triple Test, a quadruple test with increased sensitivity is performed.
The risk is calculated by entering the hormone measurement results into a computer program along with variables such as the mother's age, weight, whether she smokes or not, and the week of pregnancy. The aim is to determine the risks of chromosomal anomalies Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) and neural tube defects (NTD). Unlike the triple test and double test, the risk of neural tube defects can also be determined thanks to AFP measurement.
If the risk of trisomy 21 is higher than 1/270 (for example, 1/200) as a result of this test, amniocentesis (the process of removing water from the mother's womb) is recommended. .
If the AFP value is high in the test, conditions that may cause an increase in AFP in the amniotic fluid are considered. With a detailed ultrasound examination, it is examined whether there is any opening or abnormality in the baby's spinal cord (back) or brain. Apart from this, other anomalies that may cause this AFP increase are investigated on ultrasound, such as anomalies such as gastroschisis or omphalocele in the baby's abdomen, absence of brain (anencephaly).
If the risk of trisomy 18 is high, trisomy 18 can be diagnosed with detailed ultrasound examination. Typical anomalies of the baby are tried to be observed. The most common of these are hand-foot anomalies and heart anomalies. In a very small number of babies with trisomy 18 (about 10%), their anomalies may not be noticed on ultrasound.
In general, 60-70% of babies with Down Syndrome can be detected with the triple test.
Direct amniocentesis is "usually" recommended for pregnant women over the age of 35, without the need for a triple test.
As the age of the mother increases, the risk of trisomy also increases. If a woman has a previous history of a baby with trisomy, the risk of rhizomy in subsequent pregnancies increases.
It is always important to pay attention to the following point here: Double, triple and quadruple tests indicate an anomaly in the baby. It can never definitively show that there is a disability or disability, it only indicates whether the risk of anomaly has increased or not compared to normal. The method that will definitely show us whether there is an anomaly is amniocentesis. (Amniocentesis: the process of removing water from the baby's sac from the mother's womb) Anomalies such as trisomy 21 or 18 cannot always be detected on ultrasound. Also, normal results of these tests do not mean that there is no abnormality in the baby. These tests have a certain margin of error.
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