Prenatal diagnostic test
A prenatal diagnostic test is designed to confirm or rule out a specific chromosomal or genetic condition in your baby with much greater certainty than screening tests. The two most common procedures are chorionic villus sampling (CVS), performed between 10 and 13 weeks of pregnancy, and amniocentesis, performed from about 15 to 20 weeks. Both involve taking a small sample of placental tissue or amniotic fluid for laboratory analysis, and both carry a small but real risk of miscarriage, typically estimated at around 0.5 to 1 percent. Diagnostic testing is usually offered when screening results indicate high risk or when there is a known family history of a genetic condition.
What This Means for You
Understanding Prenatal diagnostic test is an important part of your first/second trimester journey. During pregnancy, your care team will use this term regularly. Being familiar with it means you can ask better questions and feel more confident at your antenatal appointments.
Explore our Pregnancy hubGood to Know
At KKH and NUH, diagnostic procedures are performed by trained fetal medicine specialists and come with genetic counselling, so you will have support to understand your results and discuss your options before making any decisions.
Related Terms
Source: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/dictionary
Always consult your healthcare provider for personalised advice.
Free Tools for Singapore Parents
Put your knowledge into action with our free calculators and trackers.