2006-08-30 09:51:20 · 13 answers · asked by sodaboy 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Ultrasound can show certain "markers" that are typical of babies with Downs Syndrome, but a conclusive result could only be determined through an amniocentesis.
Downs Syndrome is caused by abnormal chromosomes, and it can range from very mild to very severe. Sometimes very mild cases are not discovered even when the baby is born. The parents start to suspect something weeks or months later and get the baby's blood tested. I have a friend whose baby girl is 5 days younger than my baby, and she has Downs. She's adorable!
2006-08-30 09:59:27 · answer #1 · answered by Kathryn A 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes... Usually there is an ultrasound which is done during the 12th and 14th week of your pregnancy (first trimester) and they see how much fluid the baby has behind his/her neck., that is one of the signs that they look for through the ultrasound, of course, also blood work is done to try to detect any abnormalities. Also, on the ultrasound they look at the baby's nose structure and to see if the baby is developing a bone nose., most kids with down syndrome usually do not develop and "normal" bone structure and therefore that is the reason why their faces look in someway disformed... Some doctor's though do not do the ultrasound and only do blood work - - so ask your doctor and see what they are going to do for you... good luck...
2006-08-30 15:54:15 · answer #2 · answered by Snowwhite 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
specific i had ultrasound at 12 weeks to work out if my toddler had downs with that for the duration of addition they took blood from me and did some try, then they blended the two and got here up with the outcomes. i grow to be no longer likely to have the amnio try for that reason (miscarriage). i grow to be 36 on the time and the possibility are greater in older women. They gave the effect of a million in 3000 possibility that my toddler might have downs. there isn't any genuine assure. My son grow to be born 5 months in the past and he's advantageous.
2016-10-01 02:36:33 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here's the deal...I do sonograms and from what I learned they can determine if there is a CHANCE that the baby has down syndrome. There is no guarantee with ultrasound, when it comes to down syndrome. What the sonographer looks for is nuchal thickening...that is just thickening on the back of the fetus' neck. if it is thicker than normal, then the tests are run to see if the baby, in fact, has down syndrome.
2006-08-30 17:07:09 · answer #4 · answered by jonijuggsoncam 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not definitively. They can certainly look for soft markers that may be common for children with Down syndrome... they look for the length of the long bones (babies with DS tend to have shorter than average ones) and they check for nuchal fold thickness at the neck. They may also see certain heart defects and problems with the bowel that can be common. These are not definitive, but can be an indicator. You can have a triple screen AFP blood test that can also show a "risk factor" but those can have false positives and negatives. An amnio is the only definitive test, but it has associated risks of miscarriage involved.
In my case, my AFP test showed a high risk for DS and I opted not to have the amnio, since I wanted the baby no matter what. My child's nuchal fold was typical, but late in my pregnancy it was seen that his long bones were not developing typically. Sure enough, I had a beautiful little boy with blond hair, blue eyes, and Down syndrome. Couldn't love him more...he is the light of my life!
2006-08-30 12:11:36 · answer #5 · answered by Smom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe- depends on the skill of the Ultrasound Tech.
However, Down's Syndrome is normally detected by a DNA test- if you're over 40 or 35, it seems its mandatory to correct the problem- I can't remeber
2006-08-30 10:00:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sort of. They can look at the baby and see if there appear to be abnormalities ( like a thickening of the neck) which may be a sign....after the ultrasound if there is reason to believe that there is a possibility of a defect they will order blood tests and a possible amnio....
2006-08-30 10:37:03 · answer #7 · answered by jachooz 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes , it is called a Niccolaides test , uses high level ultrasound to search for markers. Can also be used to screen for other conditions early in pregnancy. Very accurate.
2006-08-30 11:09:13 · answer #8 · answered by funschooling m 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
theoretically that is why you go in for your 22 week ultra sound. They are looking for physical deformities such as the heavy brow and forehead typical to most downs children. They can also test through an amnio.
2006-08-30 09:57:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Go read:
http://www.todaysparent.com/pregnancybirth/pregnancy/article.jsp?content=20050419_141004_6156&page=1
2006-08-30 09:56:54 · answer #10 · answered by Mariah&Lydias_Mom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋