Question

If your patient is in the SECOND trimester and has low unconjugated estriol and a low AFP with a HIGH inhibin A, what does this mean?

a) Increased risk of Down syndrome
b) Normal pregnancy
c) Increased risk of neural tube defects
d) Increased risk of trisomy 18

Answer 1

Low unconjugated estriol and AFP, and high inhibin A in a second trimester prenatal screening indicate an increased risk of Down syndrome in the fetus.

Step-by-step explanation:

If your patient is in the second trimester and has low unconjugated estriol and a low alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) with a high inhibin A, it suggests an increased risk of Down syndrome. These markers form part of the quadruple screen test used in prenatal screening. Low levels of unconjugated estriol and AFP, along with high levels of inhibin A, are associated with a higher probability of the fetus having Down syndrome, which involves the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21.