Maternal blood test is effective for Down syndrome screening in twin pregnancies

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, which involves analyzing fetal DNA in a maternal blood sample, is a non-invasiveness and highly accurate test for Down syndrome in singleton pregnancies, but its effectiveness in twin pregnancies has been unclear. A new analysis published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology reveals that cfDNA testing for Down syndrome in twins is just as effective as in singletons, with a detection rate of 98% and only a 0.05% rate of misdiagnosis.

The analysis combined information from a dataset of 997 twin pregnancies in addition to results from seven previously published studies.

In many countries, including the United States, cfDNA testing is not recommended for use in twin pregnancies. These latest findings provide compelling evidence that mothers carrying twins should not be denied this safe and effective test.