Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Triple Check Controversy for Older Women | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I have read that there is controversy over the triple check for women 35 and older. I would rather have the triple check first before deciding on amniocentesis but am not sure what this "controversy" is or whether the triple check works for my age group.— Maureen | | | ANSWER |
April 25, 2001 | | | Dear Maureen,
You are asking an important and difficult question. The triple check test takes into account your age, your gestation, your weight, and the values of the three assays done on the blood. The test calculates your statistical risk of Down Syndrome--it might be 1 in 1000, 1 in 100, or even 1 in 10. That means, for example if you have a 1 in 100 risk, one woman in one hundred who is your age with your results will be carrying an affected fetus. Amniocentesis is usually recommended if the calculated risk of Down Syndrome is greater than the age-related risk of a 35-year old--about 1 in 270.
If you want a zero risk of Down Syndrome, you need to have an amniocentesis. If you can live with some risk, it may be worthwhile to get the triple check to decide about amniocentesis. The older you are, however, the less likely it is that the triple check results will override your age-related risk of Down Syndrome--and the more likely it is that you will end up in the group for whom amnio is recommended. One other downside of doing the triple check first is that currently it is not accurate until 16 completed weeks of pregnancy--about two weeks later than you may be able to have the amnio. So if you do end up deciding on amniocentesis after the triple check, your information is delayed by about two weeks.
Try to keep in mind, as you make this decision, that (no matter which protocol you follow) the most likely outcome is a healthy baby. Good luck to you and your family-to-be.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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