New techniques to test the sex safety of the fetus

A simple blood test to determine the sex of the fetus at week 7 can help eliminate other dangerous tests during pregnancy.

A lot of genetic disorders only affect boys or girls - so knowing the sex of the fetus early will reduce unnecessary tests.

The British Institute of Child Health has successfully tested the test in more than 70 pregnant women. Researchers have tested women at risk of having children with X-related chromosome disorders that only affect boys. They also examined pregnant women who were able to give birth to girls with CAH (congenital adrenal hyperplasia) - which made the genitals develop abnormally. If identified early, CAH will be treated right in the uterus by steroids.

In both cases, the new test found the sex of the fetus for weeks before being detected by ultrasound.

The lead researcher, Lyn Chitty, said: "This type of test has a clear advantage in women at risk for genetic disorders. It helps to avoid other harmful invasive tests at about one. In some cases, women with CAH may avoid taking steroids when the fetus is determined to be a boy in the 7th week of pregnancy. "

Currently, in order to perform genetic tests, doctors must remove cells from the fetus by sucking the uterus. This results in a miscarriage of up to 1%. In addition, this method is only available when the fetus is at least 11 weeks old. Therefore, researchers have always tried to find new testing methods that do not harm the fetus.

MT