| Our Prenatal Diagnosis Services |
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Ultrasound – the
painless use of sound waves to create detailed
moving pictures of your baby in real-time,
allowing our sonographers to evaluate fetal
growth and to detect fetal malformations.
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Amniocentesis– the
removal (under continuous ultrasound guidance)
of a small amount of fluid surrounding the baby,
which can be used to detect chromosomal problems,
open neural tube defects and
other inherited conditions, and to determine
fetal
lung maturity. |
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Chorionic
villus sampling (CVS) – the removal
(under continuous ultrasound guidance) of a
small amount
of placental tissue, either transabdominally or transvaginally, to test for chromosomal problems
or genetic disorders. |
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Genetic
Counseling – An approximately one-hour
appointment with a genetic counselor or geneticist
to discuss
prenatal diagnostic choices and individual risks
of genetic problems. |
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First-trimester
screening – involves
a fetal ultrasound combined with a
blood test
to indicate
if your
pregnancy is at a higher chance for Down syndrome
or Trisomy
18. Instant preliminary risk assessment is available when the blood test is done one week prior to the ultrasound. |
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Second-trimester
serum screening (for those missing the first trimester testing) – a blood
test which measures four fetal chemical markers
and screens for Down syndrome, Trisomy 18,
open neural tube defects and other abnormalities. |
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California integrated
screening – involves an
ultrasound and a blood test in the first trimester (instant preliminary risk assessment is available when the blood test is done one week prior to the ultrasound),
followed
by a blood test in the second trimester, to
assess your risk for Down syndrome, Trisomy
18, open neural tube defects and other less common abnormalities. |
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