Two birth defects can be determined from the maternal blood screening of a high-risk pregnant woman.What are these birth defects?
A) sickle-cell and diabetes
B) diabetes and cystic fibrosis
C) autism and language delays
D) spina bifida and Down syndrome

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Maternal blood screening can detect increased levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) which is associated with neural tube defects such as spina bifida and an abnormal amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) which may indicate Down syndrome. Sickle-cell and diabetes are genetic conditions that may be detected through other forms of testing, while autism and language delays are not typically identified through maternal blood screening. Cystic fibrosis is another genetic condition that may be identified through carrier screening but not necessarily through maternal blood screening for birth defects.

Two Birth Defects Can Be Determined from the Maternal Blood