Endocrinology at LLSG - Maternal Serum Screen

	Endocrinology Laboratory

	A Joint Venture of London Health Sciences Centre and St Josephs Health Care London

Maternal Serum Screen

Maternal Serum Screening is used to assess fetal risks for Open Spina Bifida and Down Syndrome. LHSC is the Southwestern Ontario Regional Centre for Maternal Serum Screening. Testing is paid for by the Ministry of Health for patients with a valid Ontario Health Insurance Number. Accuracy of clinical information is essential for proper risk calculations. A special requisition should be filled out. The optimum gestation age for specimen collection for the second trimester screen is at 16 weeks of gestation age. Risk calculations can not be done on gestation ages less than 15 weeks, 0 days or more than 20 weeks, 6 days. The Integrated Prenatal Screen requires that a sample be taken in the first tremester (IPS-1) at which time a Nuchal Translucency Measurement can also be done (obtain the list of sonography centres offering the NT in your region from the MSS Laboratory). A second sample can be taken during the second trimester (best time at 16.0 weeks) and an integrated prenatal report is generated at that time after testing the second sample. Integrated prenatal screen can also be done when you have no access to a certified NT centre in your region in which case the laboratory adds an extra biochemical marker making the IPS screen a 5 biochemical marker screen instead of an NT and a 4 biochemical markers. Telephone numbers for laboratory contacts are : Lab (519) 667-6592 or Dr. Alan Dennis Program Lab Director (519) 685-8300, ext. 77626.
ONTARIO MATERNAL SERUM SCREENING PROGRAM SAMPLE COLLECTION/HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS Alternate names under which the Maternal Serum Screen might be requested are: Triple Marker, Triple Screen, Alpha Plus, the three specific tests, or Open Neural Tube Defect (ONTD), Open Spina Bifida (OSB) or Down Syndrome Screen. REQUISITION The patient should present with an OHIP requisition and a completed Maternal Serum Screen (MSS) requisition or IPS requisition. If the requisition is not provided, of if it lacks the minimum required imformation, please complete a copy. The mimimum required information is the patient demographics including phone number, date of birth, the ordering physician's name and telephone number. Blank requistions may be obtained from the Regional Laboratory for Southwestern Ontario. The phone number is (519) 667-6592. Please complete the bottom portion af the MSS/IPS requisition entitled "For collection requisition entitled "For Collection Centre and Laboratory Use Only". The Regional Laboratories are responsible for verifying and following up on missing information, other than the minimum information listed above. SAMPLE Sample - serum (minimum 2 mL). Whole blood and plasma are unacceptable. Collect blood into a red-stoppered vacutainer tube or SST tube. Label the vacutainer: patient NAME(last, first) and COLLECTION DATE. Transport the blood specimen to your sample processing location. Process and transfer 2 mL of serum into a plastic transport tube. If Red Top Centrifuge and transfer 2 mL of serum into labelled plastic transport tube. Put the sample into a plastic transport bag with the completed Maternal Serum Screen Requisition in the side pocket. *It is essential that the Maternal Serum Screen Requisition has a complete patient demographics and that it accompany the sample* Send sample and requisition to the LHSC Laboratory. Do not store to batch. Send daily every working day. The address for the MSS Regional Laboratory is on the requisition TRANSPORT Transport samples DAILY. Laboratories with few requests (1/day) must transport them at least three time /week. Prompt transport is necessary to minimize delays which might increase patient anxiety and limit patient care options. Samples do not have to be shipped frozen. Ice packs may be used during hot weather. The MSS Laboratory will be responsible for sending the patient report to the ordering physician.



July 8, 2011