The Nuchal Fold Translucency, which is looking at the thickness of the baby’s neck [through ultrasound], around 11 ½ weeks from the last menstrual period and it also measures a fingerstick of some blood in the mom’s circulation and looks for a possibility that those blood tests are off a little tiny bit and/or the thickness of the neck, plus looking at the mom’s age and it’s a little formula that gives you an idea of whether the possibility of having a baby with Down Syndrome or some other chromosomal abnormality is higher than most people of their same age. Both of these tests can be for a woman any age, it’s not reserved for older women giving birth. It’s random as to who is given the test, there are a certain percentage of women who will have babies with chromosomal abnormalities. We offer them to people but that doesn’t mean they need to have them done. It’s still kind of experimental. It’s only about 80-85% accurate in picking up Down.
