Maternal screen (Triple Marker) - 2nd Trimester, Serum

Maternal Screen (Triple Test) Second Trimester Test Overview

Triple marker test is basically a screening blood test that is used to screen pregnant women for potential congenital defects in foetus i.e., neural tube defects, Down syndrome and Trisomy 18 in the unborn child. Primarily three hormones are measured in mother’s blood (thus known as the Triple Marker test). This test can be performed any time between 14 to 22.6 weeks of pregnancy. 

This test only determines the possibility that the fetus will have chromosomal abnormalities. This is because it is simply a predictive test. It is not a conclusive test. The triple marker test is named as such because it looks for alpha-fetoprotein, beta-hCG, and unconjugated estriol.

The triple marker test is essentially a blood screening procedure. It is used to check pregnant women for possible congenital problems in the fetus. These could be neural tube defects, Down syndrome, and Trisomy 18. The mother's blood is mostly tested for three hormones (thus known as the Triple Marker test). The pregnancy can be between 14 and 22.6 weeks at the time of this test.