Follow up tests

Follow up tests

Have you tested positive? You can decide not to take part in any follow-up tests, and to continue your pregnancy. You are not obligated to undergo follow-up tests. Would you like to know for certain if your child is suffering from a disorder? In that case, you can decide to undergo follow-up testing. If you are considering a termination of your pregnancy, you will be required to undergo a follow-up test. If you think you might want to undergo follow-up testing, you can discuss this at the Prenatal Diagnostics Centre. After that, you can decide what you want to do.

 

Was the first test a combined test?

You can decide to undergo follow-up testing if there is an increased risk of Down syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome or Patau’s syndrome. An increased risk is a risk of 1 in 200 or more, for instance 1 in 150, or 1 in 100, or 1 in 20. For more explanation about an increased risk please go to www.onderzoekvanmijnongeborenkind.nl and www.erfelijkheid.nl.

If the combined test has shown you are at an increased risk, these follow-up test options are available to you:

  1. You can select the NIPT: The advantage of the NIPT is that there is no risk of miscarriage. On the other hand, the NIPT is not 100% guaranteed. If the NIPT shows no abnormal results, you are very likely not carrying a child with Down syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome or Patau’s syndrome. You will not be offered an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. If the NIPT does indicate an abnormal result, you can still decide to undergo an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling to be sure. You cannot opt for the NIPT if you are carrying non-identical twins or if the ultrasound scan has indicated abnormalities such as a thickened nuchal fold.
  2. In that case, you can opt directly for an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.

Was the first test a NIPT?

If your NIPT result was abnormal, you can decide to undergo follow-up testing. The follow-up testing is a chorionic villus sampling test, or an amniocentesis.  The chorionic villus sampling can be performed from the 11th week of the pregnancy. The specialist will take a sample of the placenta tissue for testing. The amniocentesis can be performed from the 15th week of the pregnancy. During an amniocentesis, the specialist will take a sample of the amniotic fluid for testing. An amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling will give you guaranteed results about your child having Down syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome or Patau’s syndrome. The disadvantage of these tests is that there is an increased risk of miscarriage as a result of the test. This occurs in 2 out of 1000 women who undergo this test; so 998 women will not have a miscarriage as a result of this test.

Would you like more information about the chorionic villus sampling or the amniocentesis? Please go to www.onderzoekvanmijnongeborenkind.nl and www.erfelijkheid.nl.