Pregnancy Hormones & the Importance of Prenatal Screening Tests
You probably already know that hormones are responsible for many of the miseries of pregnancy, and you wouldn’t be alone in resenting the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) racing through your body as you spend yet another morning throwing up. However, those levels of hCG and other hormones on a prenatal screening test can give your OB a glimpse into the development of your baby.
Despite the unpleasant side effects, pregnancy hormones play an important part in the healthy development of your growing baby. In fact, specific prenatal screening tests exist to measure your hormone levels and determine the health of your pregnancy.
So what can pregnancy hormones tell you about the health of your pregnancy? Which prenatal screening tests are available to measure your hormone levels?
Pregnancy Hormones
NTD Eurofins offers several prenatal tests that use biochemical markers, such as your pregnancy hormones, to screen you and your baby for various conditions. Having a prenatal screening test early in your pregnancy can go a long way toward easing your mind and ensuring both you and your baby are healthy.
The Sequential Screen
The Sequential Screen looks at the pregnancy hormones beta hCG and estriol (a dominant form of estrogen). The screening determines your baby’s risk of trisomy conditions such as Down syndrome and trisomy 18. The Sequential Screen also checks for open neural tube defects.
Abnormally high levels of beta hCG and estriol may indicate a trisomy disorder. Alternatively, they may be a sign of open neural tube defects, such as spina bifida or anencephaly.
You would need a First Trimester Prenatal Screen or Maternal Fetal Screen prior to the Sequential Screen, which expands on the results of the initial test.
The First Trimester Prenatal Screen
The First Trimester Prenatal Screen analyzes three pregnancy hormones: beta hCG, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A). During this test, the OB takes a blood sample and performs an ultrasound scan.
When the OB performs an ultrasound, s/he checks for fluid accumulation behind Baby’s neck, which indicates potential Down syndrome. The scan takes place between weeks 9 — 13 of pregnancy.
Measuring free beta hCG offers a highly accurate indication of Down syndrome, trisomy 18, or trisomy 13. NTD Eurofins is the only lab that measures free beta hCG in screening tests for trisomy conditions.
A genetic counselor will look at the levels of beta hCG, AFP, and PAPP-A in your blood and use a formula to determine your risk for a chromosomal defect. Combined with an ultrasound, the First Trimester Prenatal Screen gives you an accurate measurement of your risks for genetic conditions.
The Quad Screen
The Quad Screen is a standalone test during the second trimester and an option for those who didn’t have the First Trimester Prenatal Screen. The Quad Screen is the same as the second part of the Sequential Screen.
You can take the Quad Screen between 15 and 21 weeks pregnant by giving a simple blood sample. The Quad Screen measures the pregnancy hormones beta hCG and estriol to determine your baby’s risk of Down syndrome, trisomy 18, or open neural tube defects.
The Maternal Fetal Screen | T1
NTD Eurofins’ extremely comprehensive Maternal Fetal Screen | T1 analyzes free beta hCG and checks for a wide range of conditions (listed below) that may affect you or your baby during pregnancy. You can take the test during the first trimester, between weeks 10 — 13 of your pregnancy.
The Maternal Fetal Screen | T1 combines ultrasound measurements with five biological markers from a blood sample. The Maternal Fetal Screen | T1 also determines your risk probabilities for the following conditions:
- Down syndrome
- Trisomy 18
- Trisomy 13
- Preeclampsia
- Low birth weight
- Preterm birth
- Smith-Lemli-Opitz
- Ventral wall defects
- Placental accreta
- Congenital adrenal hypoplasia
- Macrosomia
- Sex chromosome aneuploidy
- Open spina bifida
- Anencephaly
- Triploidy
- Stillbirth
- Intrauterine growth restriction
- Fetal loss
- Steroid sulfatase deficiency
The Maternal Fetal Screening | T1 Test can also determine your baby’s sex much earlier than the usual 20-week ultrasound.
The prenatal screening tests offered by NTD Eurofins are a great way to be sure that your pregnancy hormones are doing more than just making you feel nauseous and tired. Prenatal screening tests can give you a glimpse into your baby’s development and make sure you’re both healthy.
To learn more about pregnancy-related conditions and the NTD Eurofins prenatal screening tests, please visit our website.
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The information provided represents the general opinions of NTD Eurofins and is not intended to be used as specific advice for any one individual. Individuals should always consult with a physician to obtain specific advice and to receive answers to any and all questions or concerns related to health, wellness, pregnancy, and birth.
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