Maternal Serum Screening Test

Overview

Maternal Serum Screening is a blood test offered to pregnant women who want to find out if they may be at increased risk of having a baby with Down syndrome, trisomy 18 or neural tube defects (such as spina bifida). There are two Maternal Serum Screening tests that are offered to Victorian women during pregnancy; Combined First Trimester Screening (CFTS) and Second Trimester Screening (2TMSS).

Combined First Trimester Screening can also provide useful information for the management of a pregnancy, such as your risk of early-onset Pre-clampsia.

Cost

As of August 14th 2017:

For Combined First Trimester Screening (CFTS), the out-of-pocket range is $92-$101 (Item #66750)
For Combined First Trimester Screening (CFTS) with Early-Onset Pre-eclampsia, the out-of-pocket range is $111-$120 (Item #66750)
For Second Trimester Screening (2TMSS), the out-of-pocket range is $79-$88 (Item #66751)

Reporting time

CFTS - 5 days from receipt of ultrasound

Second trimester - one week

Contacts

Phone: 1300 934 355 (Lab)

Specimen Requirements

Plain tube or serum gel 7 ml
Samples for Combined First Trimester Screening (CFTS) must be collected between 9+0 and 13+6 weeks gestation. If also screening for early-onset pre-eclampsia, collect sample between 11+0 and 13+6 weeks.

Notes

EDTA or Heparinised blood is unacceptable.

If there is a delay in transport, separate and freeze serum at -20 degrees celsius.

Patients taking large doses of biotin (>10mg per day) should cease this intake one day prior to blood collection for this test.