This form of blood testing is used to determine a baby’s risk for various genetic disorders, including Down Syndrome, through analysis of cell-free DNA, or cfDNA.
Does this test reveal the gender of the baby?
Yes, the test can reveal the gender, and this information can be provided upon request. Should a patient decide that she does not wish to know the gender, she may request that it is not provided within the results of the test.
Genetic carrier screening is a blood test that is offered to our moms or moms-to-be which will give our patients information as to whether they carry a gene for a genetic disorder or problem which might otherwise not be detected because the patient has no symptoms. Carrier screening and analysis can be done before a woman’s pregnancy. If mom and dad are both carriers of a certain disorder, there is a 25% risk to the baby.
Does genetic testing yield beneficial results?
Besides identifying any mutations, there are other benefits that can be presented to a patient. When no problematic issues are found, the results can give a patient needed relief and certainty regarding their health. In addition, doctors can use the results to recommend treatment or monitoring options for the patient and their family to help lower the chances of developing diseases later in life.
Amniocentesis is a procedure used to rule out certain birth defects while a baby is still in the uterus. During this test, a sample of amniotic fluid is extracted and tested for chromosomal abnormalities.
CVS is a procedure similar to amniocentesis that can rule out or diagnose some birth defects and genetic disorders through the analysis of a baby’s chromosomes. In this procedure, a sample of cells is removed from the placenta and sent to a lab for testing.