Pregnant women naturally have a lot to worry about, with the health of their unborn child at the top of the list. But some of the tests given to tell a woman about the likelihood of problems can cause her to lose the pregnancy. Research is underway to replace procedures like amniocentesis with a simple blood test.
Newborn Ailsa and her twin brother Quinn get plenty of rest these days. But their mom Kirsty Mancino lost some sleep while she was carrying them...worried one or both might have a genetic abnormality like down syndrome.
"I remember thinking, gosh, if I don't know, the rest of this pregnancy is going to be torture for me," says Mancino.
Any age over 35 is considered advanced maternal age and puts a woman at higher risk for bearing a child with certain birth defects. So for all three of her children, this mom decided to have amniocentesis.
"For me," says Kirsty, "I needed to know what to be prepared for."
Her high risk obstetrician Elliot Philipson says it's rare for a woman to miscarry after tests like amniocentesis but it can happen. Just the needle used for amniocentesis can be a deterrent. For those reasons, he says the no-risk, non-invasive nuchel translucency test has had a profound effect on his practice.
"It has decreased the number of CVS and amniocentesis that I do by 30 percent," says Dr. Philipson.
So the idea of a simple blood test to replace procedures like amnio is extremely promising. Trials are being conducted around the world, and while no one knows for sure when the test will be available, consensus among the medical community is - soon.
"I think it would be a great advance in our technology," adds Philipson.
The research comes too late for moms like Kirsty, but she's hoping the blood test will be an option for other women who want to put their fears to rest.
Researchers say the new blood test will be highly accurate and could possibly be ready by early 2010.
