Maternal Serum Screen 4

PRPQ4

Quad Screen, Prenatal Risk 4, PRP4

Alpha-fetaprotein (AFP), unconjugated estriol (µE3), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and inhibin A.

6.0 mL of whole blood (3.0 mL of serum)

2.0 mL of whole blood (1.0 mL of serum)

Maternal date of birth (mm/dd/yy), Estimated Date of Delivery by US/LMP/PE, weight, race, insulin-dependent diabetes status, repeat sample (Y/N), number of fetuses, and neural tube defect history must be provided for interpretation of results.

Serum separator tube (gold top)

Room Temperature

Room temperature: 7 days
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 28 days

Gross hemolysis, gross lipemia

Monday through Saturday

Report available in 3 to 5 days of receipt at Quest Diagnostics

Quad Screen results consistent with an increased risk of trisomy should be confirmed with amniotic fluid specimen. Results consistent with increased risk of NTD may be followed-up with appropriate diagnostic testing as detailed in the report. Maternal serum screening yields a low percentage of false negatives. A wide range of other chromosomal abnormalities are not identified by maternal serum screening.

Maternal serum Quad Screen is used for prenatal screening of Down syndrome (Trisomy 21), Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), and open neural tube defects (ONTD). This profile includes alpha-fetaprotein (AFP), unconjugated estriol (µE3), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and inhibin A. Establishing risk for fetal Down syndrome, using the quad screen achieves a 70-75% detection rate with a 5% false positive rate. Screening for Trisomy 18 detects 60% of affected fetuses with a 0.2% false positive rate. MSAFP screening detects 88% of anencephaly and 79% of open spina bifida with a 3% false positive rate. Normal results do not ensure birth of a normal infant. In addition, 2-3% of newborns have some type of physical or mental defect, many of which may be undetectable with current prenatal diagnostic procedures.