The alpha-fetoprotein screening, or AFP screening, is a blood test that’s generally used to screen for the possibility of baby having a chromosomal disease (like Down syndrome) and neural tube defects (think spina bifida) by testing the mom-to-be’s blood for alpha-feto protein (AFP), a protein your baby produces. That’s because abnormally high or low levels of AFP could signal one or more of those problems.
Thing is, your doctor may never even mention the AFP screening to you. That’s because it’s usually done as part of the multiple marker screening (aka the triple, quad or integrated screen). Why exactly? Well, the AFP screen alone won’t likely give you an accurate prediction of baby’s risk of certain medical conditions, but when its results are combined with other lab tests, your doctor will get more, thorough, accurate information about baby’s risk at an earlier date.
Occasionally, AFP screening is used as a stand-alone test for women who have had chorionic villus sampling (CVS) early in pregnancy. CVS can accurately detect chromosomal abnormalities, but can’t detect neural tube defects. So an AFP test may be ordered to assess the risk of them.
The thing to remember with AFP screening (and all screenings) is that it merely suggests the possibility of certain medical conditions. If your AFP test indicates a higher-than-normal risk of a certain condition, your care provider will suggest additional testing (like an amniocentesis) to check for the presence of the disease.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
