First Trimester Prenatal Screening for Patients

A Simple Safe Non-Invasive Test

The First Trimester Screen | Fß^SM reliably assesses your patient’s risk for having a fetus affected with Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome) and Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Performed between 9 weeks, 0 days and 13 weeks, 6 days gestation, the First Trimester Screen |Fß^SM is a prenatal test that uses data from biochemical and biophysical markers to yield a personalized risk assessment for your patient.

Optional Fetal Sex Assessment now available with First Trimester Screen |Fß^SM

With an additional whole blood sample, Y chromosome assessment is now an option available to patients who are pregnant with singletons that will assess the fetal sex of a singleton pregnancy.

The Presence of Y Chromosome test uses real-time PCR technology to detect a Y chromosome in cell-free fetal DNA. This information is incorporated into the analyte MoM calculation, providing a more personalized risk assessment than ever before.

How? Using MoM adjustment factors allows individual analyte values to be compared to populations with similar clinical factors. Previous studies have shown differences in the median level of certain analytes based on fetal sex. The result of this added evaluation will further refine the risk analyses for Down syndrome, Trisomy 18, and Trisomy 13.

How It Works

Biochemical:

A maternal blood sample is analyzed for three biochemical markers: alpha fetoprotein (AFP), free beta human chorionic gonadotropin (free beta hCG) and pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A)

Read more about the importance of biochemical markers in prenatal screening.
Biophysical:

An ultrasound examination is needed to confirm gestational age, measure the nuchal translucency (NT), and assess the fetal nasal bone.

Research shows that the fetal nasal bone is absent in approximately 70% of all Down syndrome cases. With the Fetal Nasal Bone Assessment option added to the First Trimester Screen | Fβ^SM protocol, physicians can raise the detection rate and lower the false positive rate for Down syndrome.

Need ultrasound certification? We can help.

The Advantages of Free Beta hCG:

The use of free beta hCG in screening for Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities during the first trimester has been demonstrated to be more effective than other markers, including intact or total hCG. Intact/total hCG, while an effective second trimester marker, is far less effective during the first trimester. NTD Eurofins is the only laboratory that utilizes free beta hCG in their screening protocol.

The American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) technical guidelines on prenatal screening state the following:

“Before 11 weeks, free beta hCG is discriminatory but hCG is not. Between 11 and 13 gestational weeks, free beta hCG is univariately a more discriminatory Down syndrome screening marker than hCG.”

Detection

Down syndrome

Detection Rate

False Positive

Detection Rate For Twins

False Positive For Twins

Detection Rate With Nasal Bone

False Positive With Nasal Bone

Detection Rate with Nasal Bone For Twins

False Positive With Nasal Bone For Twins

Trisomy 18/13

Detection Rate

False Positive

Detection Rate with Nasal Bone

False Positive with Nasal Bone

Test Results

Turnaround time: Results can be expected 1-2 business days from the time the sample is received at the laboratory. The turnaround time is 3-6 days when adding the optional Presence of Y Chromosome test.

More Insight Into Potential Outcomes With Screening Report Flags

Physicians can have valuable comments added to patient reports that flag the risk of other potential adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with your patients’ extremely high or low analyte levels. With these comments, you can provide your patients with a more comprehensive pregnancy risk assessment as early as 9 weeks, 0 days gestation.

Learn more about how to opt-in for prenatal report flags.

Sample Report

View a complete First Trimester Screen | Fß^SM sample report.

Early Detection, Early Assurance with Instant Risk Assessment from eReports

First Trimester Screen | Fß^SM with Instant Risk Assessment from eReports enables physicians to present a complete risk assessment for Down syndrome and Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome) and Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) during a single office visit and ensure same-day results notification for the patient. As early as 9 weeks gestation, a maternal blood sample can be collected and submitted to NTD. The results of the blood screen are maintained and made available to the physician when the patient undergoes her nuchal ultrasound exam between 11 weeks 1 day and 13 weeks 6 days of gestation. NTD provides web-based access to your patient’s biochemistry data through a secure eReports website.

Learn more about why NTD Eurofins has been the laboratory to trust for over 30 years.

Learn More

Trust

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