health
Blood test can find thousands of genetic conditions in pregnancy, say scientists
Technique that examines fragments of foetal DNA in mother’s bloodstream could limit need for invasive screening, according to researchers
TL;DR
- A new maternal blood test can detect thousands of serious genetic conditions in a developing fetus.
- The test analyzes tiny fragments of fetal DNA circulating in the mother's bloodstream.
- This non-invasive foetal sequencing (NIFS) could replace invasive tests like amniocentesis.
- The NIFS test identified 95-99% of genetic variants found by invasive methods in validation studies.
- Early diagnosis through this test could alter pregnancy, delivery, or newborn care.
- While promising, there are concerns about potential anxiety caused by identifying genes of unknown significance.