Screening for Down syndrome

Down screening has been available within clinical practice for over 50 years during which time significant innovation and exciting new advances have improved the accuracy and safety of screening, and improved choice for women who are considering antenatal screening for Down syndrome. The UK National Screening Committee is responsible for setting the national standards regarding screening and it has steadily and consistently directed and facilitated an increase in the detection rate whilst minimising the screen positive rate of Down syndrome screening. This has reduced the number of false positive results and consequently the number of invasive diagnostic procedures and their related miscarriages. Non-invasive pre-natal testing (NIPT) using cell free DNA is a rapidly evolving field and it will soon be incorporated into the existing NHS antenatal screening programme for aneuploidy. It will be offered to women who receive a 'high risk' result following current screening methods (combined test or quadruple test), and will further reduce the number of invasive tests performed, whilst maintaining current detection rates.