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NHS First Trimester Screening (FTS) Service

Biochemistry Blood Sciences Test


The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust Blood Sciences Laboratory offers an NHS First Trimester Screening (FTS) service to 11 sites within the South/Southwest/Devon and Cornwall region. We are fully UKAS accredited under the NHS fetal anomoly screening programme (FASP).

We offer biochemical analysis of free β-human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (fβ-hCG) and Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A (PAPP-A) on our state of the art Roche Cobas 801 automated platform analyser. We have a direct link with ViewPoint (V5 or V6) at all sites, so can report overall calculated chance or biochemical analysis as required.

Specimen

Serum

Special instructions

Specimens should be labelled with specific site prefixed bar code label.

Units

Free β-hCG      IU/L

PAPP-A          IU/L

Test Usage

ViewPoint software (V5 or V6) uses the fβ-hCG and PAPP-A  multiple of medians (MoMs), combined with maternal age, nuchal translucency and gestational age (calculated from the crown rump length obtained by ultrasound during weeks 11- 14 weeks gestation), to generate a chance of the presence of a foetal anomaly – Down’s syndrome (T21), Patau’s syndrome (T13) and Edwards’ syndrome (T18).

References

NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (FASP) Handbook (August 2018)

AVAILABILITY

Local test

TURNAROUND TIME

1 day

SPECIMEN LABELLING

Specimen Labelling Procedure

Samples are labelled with site specific labels generated by the laboratory and can sent via courier or first class post.

REFERRALS

We welcome referrals for First Trimester Screening. If you would like further information or to discuss your requirements, please contact Mr Adrian Cudmore (Laboratory Manager): adrian.cudmore@nhs.net

Specimen Labelling Procedure
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8210

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