The difference in the false positive rate of the quadruple test for Down syndrome screening between advanced maternal age group and the young age group at Bangplee hospital
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Abstract
Background: Thailand’s policy recommends screening all pregnant Thai women for Down syndrome using the quadruple test. While this increases the detection rate, it also raises false positives, leading to unnecessary amniocentesis
Objectives: To compare the false positive rate of the quadruple test between advanced maternal age (≥35 years) and younger age (<35 years) pregnant women.
Methods: This retrospective chart review analyzed data from pregnant women screened for Down syndrome using the quadruple test. Results were reported as means, percentages, sensitivity, specificity, and false positive rates. A Z-test for two proportions was used to compare the groups.
Results: Among 393 women screened, 327 (83.2%) were <35 years, and 66 (16.8%) were ≥35 years. The overall false positive rate was 5.3%. The false positive rate was significantly higher in the advanced maternal age group (18.1%) compared to the younger group (2.7%) (Z = 5.08, p < 0.0001).
Conclusion: Women of advanced maternal age show a significantly higher false positive rate in Down syndrome screening using the quadruple test. Adjusting screening strategies for this group may reduce unnecessary procedures and resource wastage.
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