A new DNA test proves to be more effective at detecting Down’s Syndrome in unborn children than previously practiced methods. This test looks for fetal DNA, also called cell-free DNA, in the mother’s blood stream which is an indicator of Down’s syndrome. Previous tests tested the mothers blood for four different pregnancy related hormones (alpha fetoprotein, estriol, HCG and inhibin A) in the second trimester that may indicate Down’s Syndrome in the fetus. In a new study recently released in the New England Journal of Medicine this method was tested on over 15,000 women pregnant with a single child. The average age was 31. One-fourth of the women were over the age of 35 which is typically considered high risk. It accurately detected the disorder in 38 out of 38 pregnancies with very few false positives.
Down's syndrome is caused by trisomy of chromosome 21. This extra chromosome causes physical and mental changes in the individual. Major characteristics are low muscle tone, stunted growth, an upward slant to the eyes, flattened nose, as well as mental deficiencies that leave an average adult with an IQ of 50 and increased risk of epileptic seizures.
Being aware of a child’s disorders before they are born will help the child and family adjust. However, could a positive test cause a mother to terminate her pregnancy? I would have to say that would be a consideration for many mothers in such a position. Any genetic test done on a fetus raises this question. There is powering in knowing this information but many parents may find themselves too scared to raise a child with a handicap.
I agree that genetic testing raises the question of terminating a pregnancy if something is found, but i think this test could be very helpful in certain situations. Instead of using this test to terminate a pregnancy, maybe the parents can use this information to better understand the disorder and expand their knowledge on how to raise a child with this disability.
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