Maternal Serum Screening
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16157
Printed Date: 21 August 2025 at 2:34pm
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Topic: Maternal Serum Screening
Posted By: catisla
Subject: Maternal Serum Screening
Date Posted: 08 April 2008 at 8:34pm
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Hello
On reading through the information on the pregnancy section of this website (and others!) it seems to suggest there is a Maternal Serum Screening test done at 15-17 weeks. Should i have been offered this? I went for my midwife appointment last Thursday and it wasn't mentioned but this was a different midwife as mine was off sick. Is this a test that everyone should be offered, or is it only for people deemed to have high-risk pregnancies? I am going to be 17 weeks soon and don't want to leave it too late if I should be having it thanks ------------- |
Replies:
Posted By: Joelle
Date Posted: 08 April 2008 at 10:56pm
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I wasn't offered it at mine but asked about it. My mw had a look at my NT scan results and said I was a low risk. I could have it if I wanted it - decided not to bother.
I may be wrong but I think it is a test that you do pay for which is probably why they don't offer it up straight away. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: tropics
Date Posted: 09 April 2008 at 7:58am
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I was offered it but I asked my ob when my results were 1:6000 and she said really its not necercery with results like that she said I still could have it if I wanted too so I decided not too as it costs over $100 I think ------------- http://lilypie.com">    [/url]
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Posted By: Mikki
Date Posted: 09 April 2008 at 3:02pm
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Susiec not everyoneis offered the maternal serum testing. I had it done, and basically it does cost money, its simply a screening test and a personal choice. my mw suggeste dit because she trained in america where it was compulsary. I participated and did the testing as they are hoping that based on the results it might trigger for this testign to become compulsary in NZ. It tests for more than just downs, and although my downs results at 12 weeks were low risk, the maternal serum testing gave me an even better result, which put my mind at ease. The more people who participate the more likely it will become compulsary and free. From memory it costed me $75 ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: catisla
Date Posted: 09 April 2008 at 3:48pm
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thanks for the replies - it has put my mind at rest. I may still call my midwife just to check on whether she thinks i should have it though, as it hasn't even been discussed
thanks again  ------------- |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 09 April 2008 at 4:00pm
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I had it done in Sydney as it is routine at the place where I had my NT scan done, but here in NZ it is generally only offered to women with higher risk NT results, or who are over 35 or have a family history of chromosomal abnormalities. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Mikki
Date Posted: 10 April 2008 at 2:42pm
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I wasn't high risk from my nt results, I am under 35 and no family history, I think every midwife is different and recommends different things, in the end I think if it is going to help in the future by collecting results via a testing scheme, then I am all for it anything to ensure our babies are born healthy. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 10 April 2008 at 3:51pm
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Hence why I said "generally", all LMC's are different, and you also often find that if you have an OB as your LMC they are more likely to recommend antenatal screening than if you have a midwife as LMC.
The only screening test that is universal in NZ currently is the 18-20 week anatomy scan. In some areas the NT scan is also offered routinely, as is the 28 week polycose screen but in other areas if you are "low risk" you won't even be offered the NT scan. This differs between LMC's as well, but some DHB's don't fund for the NT scan/MSS for women in low risk groups so LMC's are not encouraged to offer them. The important thing to remember with screening tests too is that they are not diagnostic, they provide risk ratio based on a number of factors, with the NT scan it is solely age and NT thickness, with the MSS it also takes into account maternal weight and levels of hormones in the blood. So it is possible to have a low-risk result and still have a baby with a chromosomal abnormality, or, even more likely, to have a high-risk result and a baby without chromosomal abnormality. Sorry for the info overload, I just had a really interesting discussion with our OB consultant on staff here when I was editing the section he wrote for OHbaby! on antenatal screening and diagnostic testing. I agree Mikki that anyting that is going to help identify potential problems earlier should be encouraged, once upon a time heel prick testing of newborns was brand new and not routine, and now years later it is routine and has identified so many potential problems and enabled them to be addressed much earlier than previously, so it's definitely worthwhile. I personally can't see the MSS becoming routine here tho coz of the costs involved, and that there are certain groups of women who won't get an accurate result from it including those pregnant with multiples, as it affects the levels of hormones in the blood. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: catie
Date Posted: 11 April 2008 at 5:00pm
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If you're really interested, the Ministry of Health had a review of current Down Syndrome screening processes done last year; you can access the report at http://www.moh.govt.nz/publicationsbytitle - scroll down to 'antenatal'.
It basically argues for making additional screening freely available (such as maternal serum), but I don't imagine it will change any time soon. |