A New Non-Invasive Test for Down Syndrome? Sign Us Up

By By Jennifer L.W. Fink - March 8, 2011

Photo Credit: Getty

0 See all

Currently, the only way to find out for sure if your fetus has Down syndrome is to undergo amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) -- both are invasive procedures that involve a big needle in the abdomen, lots of mom-to-be nerves and an increased risk of miscarriage.

But new research suggests that an accurate, non-invasive test may be around the corner. Scientists have learned that fetal DNA is shed in the maternal bloodstream, and have found a way to separate the fetal DNA from the mother’s DNA and accurately analyze the fetal DNA for evidence of Down syndrome with just a simple blood test.

In a just-published study in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers correctly diagnosed 14 cases of Down syndrome and 26 typically-developing fetuses by the 14th week of pregnancy -- with 100% accuracy. The researchers caution that more research is needed; other researchers will need to verify their findings on larger study populations. According to the Associated Press, at least one company hopes to offer a commercial test that examines fetal DNA by the end of the year.

Comments See all

Would you be interested in this new, non-invasive test?

iVillage

A New Non-Invasive Test for Down Syndrome? Sign Us Up