Lower chance result letter templates
Updated 16 December 2024
Applies to England
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Template A. Lower chance result letter 鈥� Down鈥檚 syndrome screening only
Dear (name),
Re: Your first trimester screening result
You recently had the 鈥榗ombined test鈥� to screen for Down鈥檚 syndrome. This has shown that your baby has a lower chance of having this condition.
For this pregnancy, you have 1 chance in (number) of having a baby with Down鈥檚 syndrome.
To understand what 鈥�1 chance in (number)鈥� means, imagine a group of (number) women. One of these women will be pregnant with a baby that has the condition.
We do not offer further testing at this level of chance. A lower chance result does not mean that there is no chance at all that the baby has Down鈥檚 syndrome, just that it is unlikely.
If you have any questions about your result, you can contact me using the details below.
You can find more information about antenatal screening for this condition, including details of parent support organisations, at .
Yours faithfully,
(co-ordinator name)
Antenatal screening coordinator
Office: (phone number)
Mobile: (phone number)
Email: (email address)
Template B. Lower chance result letter 鈥� screening for all 3 conditions
Dear (name),
Re: Your first trimester screening results
You recently had the 鈥榗ombined test鈥� to screen for Down鈥檚 syndrome, Edwards鈥� syndrome and Patau鈥檚 syndrome. This has shown that your baby has a lower chance of having these conditions. Your individual chances for this pregnancy are as follows:
- Down鈥檚 syndrome 1 chance in (number 1)
- Edwards鈥� syndrome and Patau鈥檚 syndrome 1 chance in (number 2)
To understand what 1 chance in (number 1) means, imagine a group of (number 1) women. One of these women will be pregnant with a baby that has Down鈥檚 syndrome.
To understand what 1 chance in (number 2) means, imagine a group of (number 2) women. One of these women will be pregnant with a baby with Edwards鈥� syndrome or Patau鈥檚 syndrome.
We do not offer further testing at this level of chance. A lower chance result does not mean that there is no chance at all that the baby has Down鈥檚 syndrome, Edwards鈥� syndrome or Patau鈥檚 syndrome, just that it is unlikely.
If you have any questions about your results, you can contact me using the details below.
You can find more information about antenatal screening for these conditions, including details of parent support organisations, at .
Yours faithfully,
(co-ordinator name)
Antenatal screening coordinator
Office: (phone number)
Mobile: (phone number)
Email: (email address)
Template C. Lower chance result letter 鈥� Edwards鈥� syndrome and Patau鈥檚 syndrome screening only
Dear (name),
Re: Your first trimester screening result
You recently had the 鈥榗ombined test鈥� to screen for Edwards鈥� syndrome and Patau鈥檚 syndrome. This has shown that your baby has a lower chance of having these conditions.
For this pregnancy, you have 1 chance in (number) of having a baby with Edwards鈥� syndrome or Patau鈥檚 syndrome.
To understand what this means, imagine a group of (number) women. One of these women will be pregnant with a baby that has one of the conditions.
We do not offer further testing at this level of chance. A lower chance result does not mean that there is no chance at all that the baby has Edwards鈥� syndrome or Patau鈥檚 syndrome, just that it is unlikely.
If you have any questions about your result, you can contact me using the details below.
You can find more information about antenatal screening for these conditions, including details of parent support organisations, at .
Yours faithfully,
(co-ordinator name)
Antenatal screening coordinator
Office: (phone number)
Mobile: (phone number)
Email: (email address)
Template D. Lower chance result letter quadruple test 鈥� Down鈥檚 syndrome screening only
Dear (name),
Re: Your second trimester screening result
You recently had the 鈥榪uadruple test鈥� to screen for Down鈥檚 syndrome. This has shown that your baby has a lower chance of having this condition.
For this pregnancy, you have 1 chance in (number) of having a baby with Down鈥檚 syndrome.
To understand what this means, imagine a group of (number) women. One of these women will be pregnant with a baby that has the condition.
We do not offer further testing at this level of chance. A lower chance result does not mean that there is no chance at all that the baby has Down鈥檚 syndrome, just that it is unlikely.
If you have any questions about your result, you can contact me using the details below.
You can find more information about antenatal screening for these conditions, including details of parent support organisations, at .
Yours faithfully,
(co-ordinator name)
Antenatal screening coordinator
Office: (phone number)
Mobile: (phone number)
Email: (email address)