![]() For example, your likelihood of carrying a baby with Down syndrome ranges from about 1 in 1,200 at age 25 to about 1 in 100 at age 40. Your age is factored in because although anyone can have a baby with a chromosomal abnormality, the risk increases as you age. To determine your baby's chances of having Down syndrome or trisomy 18, your levels of the four substances are plugged into a formula along with your baby's gestational age and your age. Low levels of the first three means your baby has a higher than normal risk of having trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome). Low AFP, low estriol, high hCG, and high inhibin A are associated with a higher risk for Down syndrome. And in some cases, it doesn't mean any of those things. In rare cases, it can also signify a problem with the baby's kidneys. But in some cases, it's a sign of an abnormal opening in the baby's spine (spina bifida), head, or abdominal wall that's allowing AFP to leak out. If there's more AFP than expected, it may mean that you're carrying more than one baby or that your baby is older than your practitioner thought. ![]() A baby produces AFP throughout gestation, and a certain amount of it should cross the placenta into the mother's bloodstream at each stage. Inhibin A, a hormone produced by the placenta.Unconjugated estriol (uE3), a hormone produced by the placenta and the baby.Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone made by the placenta.Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a protein made by the baby.The test measures the levels of four substances in your blood: Results are usually available in about a week. You'll have a blood sample taken and sent to a lab for analysis.
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