Quadruple screen test

This test is most often done between the 15th and 22nd weeks of the pregnancy. It is most accurate between the 16th and 18th weeks. A blood sample is taken from the pregnant woman and sent to the lab for testing. The test measures levels of 4 pregnancy hormones: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a protein produced by the baby…

No special steps are needed to prepare for the test. You can eat or drink normally before the test.

You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn.

The test is done to find out if your baby might be at risk for certain birth defects, such as Down syndrome and birth defects of the spinal column and brain (called neural tube defects). This test is a screening test, so it does not diagnose problems. Certain women are at greater risk of having a baby with these…

Normal levels of AFP, hCG, uE3, and inhibin A. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

An abnormal test result does NOT mean that your baby definitely has a birth defect. Often, the results can be abnormal if your baby is older or younger than your provider had thought. If you have an abnormal result, you will have another ultrasound to check the age of the developing baby. More tests and counseling may…

The quadruple screen can have false-negative and false-positive results (although it is slightly more accurate than the triple screen). More tests are needed to confirm an abnormal result. If the test is abnormal, you may need to talk to a genetic counselor.

ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 162: Prenatal diagnostic testing for genetic disorders. Obstet Gynecol . 2016;127(5):e108-e122. PMID: 26938573 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26938573/ . Driscoll DA, Simpson JL. Genetic screening and prenatal genetic diagnosis. In: Landon MB, Galan HL, Jauniaux ERM, et al, eds. Gabbe's Obstetrics:…