Does every pregnant woman need to do Triple test?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Hong Lien - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

1. What is triple test?

The Triple test, also known as the triple test, is a non-invasive test for prenatal screening tests for pregnant women. This test is completely safe for both mother and fetus.
Doctors will take the mother's blood for testing and find out some risk of birth defects through testing the levels of three substances AFP, hCG and Estriol in the blood of the pregnant mother.
AFP: alpha-fetoprotein is a protein produced by the fetus; hCG: human chorionic gonadotropin – a hormone secreted by the placenta; Estriol: estriol is an estrogen produced by both the fetus and the placenta. The above indicators will be calculated together with many other indicators of the mother such as age, weight, height, gestational age,... Thanks to a specialized software to assess the risk of Down syndrome, Edward or fetal neural tube defects.

2. Subjects need to do Triple test

Triple test is a screening test performed between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy to help detect early the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect.
For pregnant women with a normal double test at 11-13 weeks of gestation and a perfectly healthy family history, this test can be omitted. However, for the following cases, triple test is necessary: ​​
Age over 35; Using dangerous drugs or substances during pregnancy; Have had a miscarriage or stillbirth of unknown cause; Have been pregnant or given birth to a child with genetic defects; Family history of having a child with a birth defect; Diabetes; chronic diseases Viral infections during pregnancy; Exposure to radiation; Having an infectious disease during pregnancy; There are abnormal manifestations or suspicions on the ultrasound results. Especially, pregnant women who have had the Double test and have a pregnancy result that have a borderline risk of birth defects need to try the Triple test to assess the risk level more clearly.

3. How to conduct Triple test

Triple test is usually done:
During 15-20 weeks of pregnancy; This is done by analyzing the mother's blood sample. Therefore, it does not affect the health of mother and baby; Test results can be returned to the pregnant woman a few days later. In addition to blood test results, the risk of fetal malformations is also quantified on factors such as age, weight, diabetes or genetic abnormalities of the mother...
Biochemicals (alpha fetoprotein), β-hCG (beta-human chorionic gonadotropin) and unconjugated estriol uE3 (unconjugated estriol) also known as free estriol in the blood of pregnant women are produced normally and appear in the blood. maternal blood during fetal and placental development.
Normal values ​​of parameters for risk assessment are as follows:
AFP < 0.4 or > 2.5 MoM β-hCG < 0.4 or > 2.5 MoM uE3 (estriol) < 0.5 MoM High levels of AFP above the norm indicate that the fetus is at risk of having a neural tube defect or missing part of the brain.
Low AFP levels, and abnormalities in hCG and estriol levels suggest the possibility of Down syndrome (3 chromosome 21) or Edward's syndrome (3 chromosome 18) and other abnormalities. usually other chromosomes.
If Triple test results are abnormal, pregnant women should discuss carefully with their doctor so that a definitive diagnosis can be made by invasive procedures such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.

4. Notes on Triple test

To perform the Triple test test, it is necessary to note:
Pregnant women need to remember the exact week of pregnancy, perform at the right time for accurate screening results. The majority of cases of increased AFP levels are due to incorrect gestational age. Before taking the Triple test, pregnant women need to fast and only drink water before the test. When you go, you need to bring a periodic antenatal check-up book, and at the same time know the health history of your family and your husband's family. This test is not indicated for mothers with multiple pregnancies because these indicators in the blood of pregnant women with multiples may increase abnormally, causing the test results to be inaccurate. In these cases, only 4D ultrasound should be used to diagnose malformations. The results of the Triple test test only indicate the risk, not the basis for deciding whether to suspend or continue the pregnancy. If there are abnormalities, pregnant women need to do more tests to get more accurate results. Triple test is one of the widely used modern prenatal screening tests. Therefore, to ensure high accuracy results, it is necessary to visit reputable medical facilities to perform this test.
At Vinmec International General Hospital, there is a package maternity service as a solution to help pregnant women feel secure because of the companionship of the medical team throughout the pregnancy. When choosing Maternity Package, pregnant women can:
The pregnancy process is monitored by a team of highly qualified doctors Regular check-ups, early detection of abnormalities The Package Maternity package helps to facilitate Convenience for the delivery process Newborns receive comprehensive care, Specialist I Le Hong Lien has been an obstetrician-gynecologist at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital since November 2016. Doctor Lien has over 10 years of experience as a radiologist in the Department of Ultrasound at the leading hospital in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in the South - Tu Du Hospital.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.