Hormone Inhibin A
Test Overview
The inhibin A test is done to measure the amount of this Reference hormone Opens New Window in a pregnant woman's blood to see if the baby may have Reference Down syndrome Opens New Window. Inhibin A is made by the Reference placenta Opens New Window during pregnancy.
The level of inhibin A in the blood is used in a Reference maternal serum quadruple screening test. Generally done between 15 and 20 weeks, this test checks the levels of four substances in a pregnant woman's blood. The quad screen checks alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a type of estrogen (unconjugated estriol, or uE3), and the hormone inhibin A. The levels of these substances—along with a woman's age and other factors—help the doctor estimate the chance that the baby may have certain problems or birth defects.
- Opens New Window Pregnancy: Should I Have the Maternal Serum Triple or Quadruple Test? Opens New Window
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference April 4, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics |
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