Triple Marker Test

What is Triple Marker Test?

The triple marker screen test is also known as the triple test, multiple marker test, multiple marker screening, and AFP Plus. It analyzes how likely an unborn baby is to have certain genetic disorders. The exam measures the levels of three important substances in the placenta: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).

Why take Triple Marker Test?

Triple marker tests identify pregnancies that have a high risk of babies having the following abnormalities:

• Trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome)
• Trisomy 18 (Edward syndrome)
• Neural tube defects

These tests are NOT diagnostic tests. Your doctor will order a confirmatory test when the screening test is positive (high risk)

Is this test for you?

This test is conducted between the 14th and 18th weeks of pregnancy.
The test is often most recommended under the following scenarios

• Age of the pregnant woman is above 35
• Dual Marker tests were abnormal
• Birth defects in the family
• The pregnant woman is diabetic and under insulin medication
• If it is suspected that the pregnant woman was exposed to a high dose of radiation
• A viral infection during pregnancy

More about Triple Marker Test?

AFP (Alpha-fetoprotein) AFP or alpha fetoprotein is made by the foetal liver and some amount of this substance gets into the mother’s blood. Higher levels of AFP are seen in Neural tube defects and levels are decreased in Down syndrome and Edward syndrome. What if I am a man and have high AFP level? What if I am a non-pregnant woman and have high AFP level? In men, non-pregnant women, and children, AFP in the blood can mean certain types of cancer, especially cancer of the testicles, ovaries, stomach, pancreas, or liver are present. uE3 (Unconjugated Estriol) Estriol is a hormone produced by the placenta, using ingredients made by the fetal liver and adrenal glands. In pregnancies with Down Syndrome or Edward Syndrome, it is observed that the Estriol levels are reduced.

Your doctor will help you interpret your report basis your test results
Increased risk for HCG uE3 AFP Inhibin A
Open spina bifida Normal Normal High Not Applicable
Anencephaly Low Low High Not Applicable
Down syndrome High Low Low High
Edwards syndrome Low Low Variable Not Applicable

In pregnancies with Down Syndrome, high levels of HCG and Inhibin A are observed
In pregnancies with Edwards Syndrome, HCG and Estriol levels are low
Open Neural Tube defect is suspected when AFP levels are high. Opening in the spine may lead to more AFP leaking into the mother’s blood

TRIPLE MARKER TEST

The triple marker screen test is also known as the triple marker test time, multiple marker test, multiple marker screening, and AFP Plus. It analyzes how likely an unborn baby is to have certain genetic disorders. 

The exam measures the levels of three important substances in the placenta:

• Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
• Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)
• Estriol

Triple marker test in pregnancy. It’s used for women who are between 15 and 20 weeks pregnant. An alternative to this test is the quadruple marker screen test, which also looks at a substance called inhibin A.

What does a triple marker screen test do?

A triple marker screen test takes a sample of blood and detects the levels of AFP, HCG, and estriol in it.

• AFP: A protein produced by the fetus. High levels of this protein can indicate certain potential defects, such as neural tube defects or failure of the fetus’s abdomen to close.
• HGC: A hormone produced by the placenta. Low levels may indicate potential problems with the pregnancy, including possible miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. High levels of HGC can indicate a molar pregnancy or multiple pregnancies with two or more children.
• Estriol: An estrogen that comes from both the fetus and the placenta. Low estriol levels may indicate a risk of having a baby with Down syndrome, especially when paired with low AFP levels and high HGC levels.

Who benefits from the triple marker screen test?

Triple marker screen tests help prospective parents prepare and assess options. They also alert doctors to watch a fetus more closely for other signs of complications.

The test is often most recommended for women who:

• Are 35 years old or older
• Have a family history of birth defects
• Have diabetes and use insulin
• Have been exposed to high levels of radiation
• Had a viral infection during pregnancy

What are the benefits of a triple marker screen test?

A triple marker screen test can indicate potential complications with a pregnancy, as well as the presence of multiple fetuses. This helps parents prepare for birth. If all the test results are normal, parents know that they are less likely to have a child with a genetic disorder.

You can book an online appointment for a triple marker screen test in Delhi and choose the home sample collection option. Our phlebotomist crew is fully licensed, trained, and certified to collect blood samples from home. The triple marker test price may differ from city to city. The cost of a  triple marker screen test in Delhi @CNCPathlab is very affordable. When making an online appointment for a triple marker screen test with HAXA Lab, one has the option of selecting home sample collection. The triple marker screen test results will be made available online within 24 hours of sample collection, at which point anyone can consult their doctor and decide on the best course of treatment depending on their results.