Prenatal Screening in Sharjah

What is prenatal screening?

Prenatal screening is a group of tests offered during pregnancy to find out whether your baby has a higher or lower chance of certain conditions, such as Down syndrome (trisomy 21), Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18) and Patau syndrome (trisomy 13), and to check how the baby's body is forming. The tests use your blood and ultrasound, and they carry no risk to the pregnancy.

The key idea is the difference between screening and diagnosis. A screening test gives a chance, expressed as higher or lower. A diagnostic test, such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis, examines cells from the pregnancy itself and gives a definite answer. Screening comes first because it is safe for everyone; diagnostic testing is then offered to the smaller group whose screening shows a higher chance.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, prenatal screening sits within your wider antenatal care, and this page explains the screening tests themselves and what their results mean.

Who needs it

Prenatal screening is offered to every pregnant woman, whatever her age, and taking it up is your choice. Some couples want as much information as possible early; others prefer only the scans that check the baby's growth and development. Both are valid, and the team supports whichever path you choose.

Screening is especially worth discussing if you are older at conception, if a previous pregnancy was affected by a chromosomal condition, if there is a known genetic condition in either family, or if you and your husband are related by blood, which is common in the region and raises the chance of some inherited conditions. Pregnancies with other medical risks are cared for through high-risk pregnancy management, with screening part of that plan.

What happens

Prenatal screening follows the stages of pregnancy:

| Test | When | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Combined first-trimester screening | Late first trimester | NT scan plus a blood test, combined with your age |
| Nuchal translucency (NT) scan | Same visit | Ultrasound measuring the fluid at the back of the baby's neck |
| NIPT | From the late first trimester | A blood sample from you, analysed for fragments of the baby's DNA |
| Anomaly scan | Around the middle of pregnancy | A detailed ultrasound of the baby's organs, limbs and placenta |

For the combined test, the NT measurement, two pregnancy hormones in your blood and your age are put together to give a single chance figure for each condition. NIPT, also called cell-free DNA testing, looks at small pieces of placental DNA circulating in your blood and screens for the same trisomies with greater accuracy than the combined test; it can also report the baby's sex if you ask. The anomaly scan is a careful, systematic look at the baby's brain, heart, spine, kidneys, abdominal wall, face and limbs, and at the position of the placenta.

Each result is explained to you by your obstetrician. If a result shows a higher chance, you are offered a follow-up consultation to discuss NIPT, a diagnostic test and what each option involves, at your own pace.

Preparing for it

Bring your pregnancy dating scan or the date of your last period, your Emirates ID and your insurance card. Fasting is unnecessary for the screening blood tests. For the NT and anomaly scans, wear loose, two-piece clothing so your abdomen can be reached easily. It helps to decide beforehand how much you want to know, including whether you want to learn the baby's sex, and to think through with your husband what you would do with a higher-chance result. The team is happy to go through these questions with you first.

Afterwards

Combined screening and NIPT results come back after laboratory processing, and your team contacts you with them. The anomaly scan is usually discussed with you during the scan itself. A lower-chance result means routine antenatal care continues. A higher-chance result or a scan finding leads to a planned next step, which may include further scans, specialist opinions and a birth plan shaped around your baby's needs, with the hospital's Level III neonatal intensive care unit and 24/7 obstetric and anaesthetic cover in place for delivery. The optional 4D ultrasound scan is a separate bonding scan you can add.

Contact the hospital the same day if you have vaginal bleeding, cramping or fluid leaking after any test. **Go to the emergency department straight away for heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, fever or a clear drop in your baby's movements later in pregnancy.**

Cost and insurance

UAE maternity cover for screening varies. The anomaly scan and routine blood tests are commonly included, while NIPT is often excluded or partly covered on many plans, and maternity benefits can carry a waiting period from the start of your policy. Some tests need pre-approval. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you check what your plan includes on 06 599 7777.