Getting a False Positive on a Screening Test

Also an expert in maternal-fetal health, Dr. Johnson suggests that if results from an amnio or CVS indicate that your baby has a disorder, your doctor can put you in touch with support groups. Your healthcare provider may also choose to have you deliver your baby at a hospital that specializes in caring for infants with certain disorders.

Refusing Tests

While screening tests can provide more information about your growing baby, these tests are optional and many women refuse them. The thinking goes that if you get a positive on your quad screen, the next step is either to do nothing or to get a diagnostic test. Based on the results of the diagnostic tests, you either do nothing or choose to terminate the pregnancy. Since many women want to avoid the risk of miscarriage that comes with diagnostic tests and do not consider terminating the pregnancy an option, they don't feel compelled do the screening.

Working with Your Healthcare Provider

As with any aspect in your pregnancy, it's vital that you have a good working relationship with your healthcare provider. Dr. Johnson recommends that you listen carefully to how your doctor explains the results of your test. Dr. Norton adds that with most physicians seeing 40 patients a day, your healthcare provider may not have time to go into details about the implications of your test.

Dr. Johnson reiterates that you shouldn't hesitate to ask your healthcare provider questions—and make sure you understand the answers. Ask for written information, reliable websites, and the proper phone number in case you have any further questions.