Chapter 249

"Between the fourth and twentieth week of pregnancy, we do a Down’s syndrome screening. It’s basically a blood test that looks at levels of AFP, hCG, and estriol in your system to check for things like Down syndrome or neural tube defects in the baby." The female doctor pushed up her glasses, her tone was serious. "Ms. Harper, have you done this test before?" Celeste Harper shook her head, feeling a little uneasy inside. "Is there something wrong with the baby?" She’d kept her pregnancy a secret. Other than herself, barely anyone knew. Things had been hectic lately—she hadn't found time for any checkups. The doctor hesitated a bit before pointing to the results on the printout. Her face turned more solemn. "Preliminary tests suggest your baby might have a neural tube defect." Celeste felt like someone had smacked her across the head—everything went kind of fuzzy. "In cases like this," the doctor explained slowly, "if the diagnosis is confirmed, we usually advise not going through with