Hormone Inhibin A: What To Think About

Content provided by Healthwise

What To Think About

• The level of inhibin A in the blood is used in a 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. For more information about estriol and hCG, see the medical tests Estrogens, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), and Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) in Blood.
• The maternal quad screen looks for possible problems in your fetus. You can have an ultrasound if your quad screen is abnormal. If an ultrasound cannot find the cause of the abnormal results, an amniocentesis may be recommended. For more information, see the medical test Fetal Ultrasound or Amniocentesis.
• If abnormal levels of inhibin A are found, talk with your doctor or a genetic counselor. The test results can be abnormal, even when nothing is wrong.

Last updated:	May 14, 2008
Author:	Sandy Jocoy, RN
Reviewed By:	Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine, Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Tracy Landauer