Triple test

The triple test is like going to the doctor to get a check-up before you get sick. When a mommy is having a baby, the doctor might do a special test to see if the baby might have any problems. The test checks three things: a special hormone that the mommy makes when she's pregnant, a protein that the baby makes, and something called alpha-fetoprotein.

The doctor takes a little bit of the mommy's blood and sends it to a special place to check all of these things. This helps the doctor see if the baby might have any problems like Down syndrome or spina bifida. The test helps the mommy and daddy know if they need to do anything special to take care of the baby when it comes out.