Oregon Couple Sues over Misdiagnosis of Down Syndrome in their Daughter

The parents of a four-year-old Oregon girl with Down syndrome are suing Legacy Health in Portland because they say doctors misdiagnosed their daughter as not having the condition during a prenatal screening.

As a result of doctors’ reassurances, according to KATU, the parents decided to continue the pregnancy.  They are suing for $7 million, an amount they say will pay for the girl’s care for life.

Court documents were not immediately available, so it’s unclear what type of genetic testing the couple underwent.  Genetic counselors say there are different types of screening options, including amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, and an ultrasound combined with blood testing.

There is much confusion over prenatal testing in general so it is not surprising that the details of exactly what testing was perform have been omitted.  People often confuse a screening method called a triple or quad screen that simply looks at protein levels in a maternal blood sample and actual genetic testing of the fetus through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS).  While the quad screen is just that, a non-invasive screen that requires further testing, the genetic testing through amnio or CVS is much more accurate because it tests the DNA of the baby directly.

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