Maternal serum screening is widely used to evaluate the risk of certain serious birth defects such as Down's syndrome and Spina Bifida.

Quality control is extremely important not only in establishing standardisation between methods and laboratories but for effective and efficient monitoring of performance. Perhaps quality control is of even greater importance in screening methods as the aim is to detect a disorder before the onset of symptoms whereas in other diagnostic tests patient results are often considered alongside physical symptoms.

Randox has recently launched three levels of maternal screening control serum for use in monitoring the accuracy and reproducibility of analytes covering both 1st and 2nd trimester screening tests. Analytes include AFP, Free-b-hCG, Inhibin A, PAPP-A, Total hCG and Unconjugated Oestriol.

These new controls are 100% human in origin and contain accurately assigned target values and ranges for the most common immunoassay analysers. Analyte levels are set in accordance with those typically found during pregnancy. Unconjugated Oestriol levels are more appropriate than those offered by other suppliers.

All Randox quality controls can be described as true third party controls in that they are not designed or optimised for use with a specific manufacturer's instrument, calibrator or reagent.

In addition to our extensive range of quality control materials Randox provides 24/7 an internet driven peer group reporting system, and RIQAS, an external quality assurance scheme providing customers with a choice of 15 EQA programmes including maternal screening.

Source
Randox Laboratories
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