Difference Between Prenatal Screening And Genetic Testing

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Throughout your pregnancy, your physician may present you with a multitude of testing options and check-ups in order to monitor your health and the health of your baby. Every woman will be offered a screening test to see if her baby is at risk of being born with an abnormality, which may be followed up by the option of having a diagnostic test performed.

Screening and diagnostic tests provide parents-to-be with the opportunity to plan for earlier treatment for their baby if a chromosomal abnormality is detected. What exactly is the difference between these two?

Genetic Screening Test

Prenatal screening tests are offered to all pregnant women during their first or second trimester. Screenings are not required, and each woman has the right to decide if she will agree to the screening. However, these tests are used to determine if your baby is at risk of being born with a genetic disorder.
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A reading of certain substances in the mother’s blood, an ultrasound, or sometimes both, are used in conjunction with external risk factors, such as the mother’s age and family history of both the mother and the father, to produce the risk percentage. The procedure is completed by collecting a sample of the mother’s blood from a non-invasive blood draw.

These tests are used to inform the physician and the parents whether their baby is at risk of having a chromosomal abnormality. In order for the physician to reach a conclusion, a diagnostic test must be performed.

If your screening test produces a positive result, your physician may recommend genetic counseling and suggest that prenatal diagnostic DNA testing be