Difference between high and low risk prenatal screening

The screening results report will show the calculated risk values for trisomy 18, trisomy 21 and open neural tube defects, usually expressed as a ratio. Depending on the test method, hospitals use different scales for determining “high risk” and “low risk”. A high risk screening result means that the fetus has a higher chance of developing the disease, but it does not necessarily mean that the fetus is abnormal and further testing is needed to determine this. Similarly, a low risk indicates that the fetus has a low chance of developing the disease and that interventional prenatal diagnosis is not necessary. However, it is possible for a pregnant woman with a low risk screening to have a child with Down’s syndrome.