Maternal Screening Overview: Understanding the Importance and Benefits

Parameters	Dual Marker	EFTS	Quadruple Marker	NIPT
Ideal gestational period	11 weeks to 13 weeks, 6 days	11 weeks to 13 weeks, 6 days	15 weeks to 21 weeks, 6 days	10 weeks to term
Biochemical values	PAPP-A Free beta HCG	PAPP-A Free beta HCG AFP PIGF	PAPP-A Free beta HCG uE3 Inhibin-A	No biochemical testing – sequencing of fetal fraction DNA in the maternal circulation
Bio-physical values required and acceptable range	NT: less than 3 mm CRL: 42 – 83 mm	CRL: 45 – 84 mm NT: less than 3 mm UTPI: 0.4 – 4 MAP for pre-eclampsia	BPD: 31 – 52 mm	NA
Detection rate	91%	90%	75%	>99.9%
False positive rate	5%	1.4%	5%	<1%
Clinical indication	Early detection of down syndrome, edward syndrome, patau syndrome, and other aneuploidies.	Fetal aneuploidies, structural defects, and pre-eclampsia.	Identifies risk for down syndrome, edward syndrome, patau syndrome, and neural tube defect syndrome.	Screening test for fetal aneuploidies like down syndrome, edward syndrome, and patau syndrome.

AFP – Alpha-fetoprotein; BPD – Biparietal diameter; CRL – Crown rump length; HCG – Human chorionic gonadotropin; MAP – Mean-arterial pressure; NT – Nuchal translucency; PAPP-A – Pregnancy associated plasma protein; PIGF – Placental growth factor; uE3 – Unconjugated estradiol; UTPI – Uterine artery pulsatility index; NIPT – Non-invasive prenatal testing

References:

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