Integrated Prenatal Screening (IPS)

Integrated prenatal screening comprises a set of tests conducted throughout pregnancy. These tests assess whether there’s an elevated likelihood of carrying a baby with a birth defect, like Down syndrome or spina bifida.

What does the process entail?

Integrated prenatal screening combines your age, measurements from the nuchal translucency ultrasound and two blood tests to estimate the chance of having a baby with Down syndrome, Trisomy 13 or Trisomy 18. It then gives a numerical estimate of the chance of having a baby with one of these conditions.
In addition, unlike the first trimester screening, integrated prenatal screening will determine if there is an increased chance of having a baby with an open neural tube defect.

When is this test done:

The ultrasound and first blood test are done between 11 weeks, 2 days, and 13 weeks, 3 days of pregnancy. The second blood test is done between 15 – 21 weeks.

During the test:

You will lay down on an examination table. Your technologist will position a transducer on your abdomen and perform an ultrasound. This test is done to date the pregnancy and measure the nuchal translucency. The nuchal translucency (NT) is a measurement of the thickness of the skin at the back o f the neck of the developing baby.

After the test

The ultrasound procedure is painless, and you can resume your normal activities right after.