Health and Welbeing
New swedish DNA test for foetus would reveal whether the unchild has Down syndrome
Wednesday, 04 April 2012
As the Nordic countries continue their quest of creating the best form
of humans, soon, a new DNA test for foetuses will be unvailed. This
will assist in determining whether the unborn baby has Down syndrome
without the risk of miscarriage through amniocentesis.
In just a few years, this may come into fruition through a simple blood
test taken in the arm of the pregnant woman to the fetal DNA, according
to researcher Magnus Westgren, Professor at the Swedish Karolinska
university hospital.
Scientists at the hospital have participated in a large international study on the new blood sample.
“I have recently seen such results, so I think it will go faster than we previously thought,” says Magnus Westgren.
Today there's only one sure way to find out if ones baby has Down
syndrome - by amniocentesis. It involves inserting a needle into the
uterus and pull out the fluid. There is therefore a risk that the test
itself can lead to miscarriage.
In Sweden, several counties are being offered things including KUB
tests. In Östergötland the first of such test was carried out in the
country in which such testing was offered to pregnant women of all
ages.
KUB test is a blood test and an ultrasound, and based on the results
calculated at the risk figure, i.e. the probability that a fetus has
Down syndrome. But to know for sure, the woman must still have an
amniocentesis and then there is a risk of miscarriage.
In a few years time, both the KUB test and amniocentesis will be replaced by a new blood test, the researchers said.
Parents will not receive a risk number that is difficult to interpret.
And they’ll avoid the risk of miscarriage found with the use that leads
to amniocentesis.
Furthermore, the result is safer, according to Magnus Westgren.
“You can send blood to a pair of large laboratory and thus have a
higher safety. I believe that the method will be commercially available
in a few years,” he said.
But the test is still not without its problems, thinks Magnus Westgren.
“It requires very good information from parents. I think that we should
learn more about what Down syndrome means, preferably already at the
school level.
In the future there could in theory be able to study the whole foetal medical history at the school level.
Last year Denmark waged a war of Down syndrome by aborting women
suspected of carry unborn foetus that might be Down syndrome. The
march thus to eliminate Down syndrome in our society continues.
By Scancomark.se Team
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