The Effects Of Prenatal Screening On Children

One of the benefits of prenatal screening is to enable early detection of the developmental defect embryology. This embryology developmental defect may be due to the mutation or genetic inheritance. Mutation is a condition characterized by permanent change in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene. It can range in different sizes from a single DNA building block (DNA base) to a large segment of a chromosome. On the other hand, genetic inheritance is a condition whereby parents pass traits such as height and other characteristics to the children by chromosomes. “Sonograms, genetic tests and a new test called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis -- which is a genetic test conducted on embryos for people attempting pregnancy through in vitro fertilization -- allow women to better predict if the infant will have a genetic defect” (New York Times Magazine, 2006). Thus thorough these tests, medical practitioners are able to identify and make early preparation toward any abnormalities of the fetus.

i. Amniocentesis is one type of prenatal testing that can be used. The doctor takes a sample of amniotic fluid from the mother and tests the fluid for a mutation in FMR1.

This test is usually done around 10 weeks from a blood draw. From this simple non-invasive blood draw doctors are now able to search for a range of different diseases such as Down syndrome or Edwards syndrome. It can also check for sex chromosome disease

Prenatal testing was designed to allow a mother with a possible high risk the option to ensure the health of their unborn child with a birth defect. The testing will also detect harm to the unborn fetus if the mother was exposed to a disease or sickness. There are multiple levels of screening and testing that can be done to provide to give results to an unborn child. The screenings are safe non-invasive procedures that will detect particular birth defects.1 The types of screenings that can be provided are ultrasound, and blood test.

Prenatal screening is used to detect any potential diseases or disabilities that a fetus may have or develop in the future. Many procedures are done to test said fetus, including analyzing a sample of amniotic fluid or testing a few cells from the placenta. Various genetic disorders are tested for, such as mental retardation, sickle cell anemia, and Tay-Sachs. Once informed of a fetus’ potential defects, the parents can then decide to either carry the fetus to full term or terminate the pregnancy.

Areas that are focused on and covered by Jane E. Brody in her article are the amount of breakthroughs and advances that have taken place in the medical field revolving around screening tests for disabilities in unborn children. She examines the variety of tests that are available to women and explains what each are able to detect. In the article there are quotes and statistics that are provided which help the audience get a better understanding of how important tests like these are. The author offers a precise view into the techniques that have made the screenings safer and more practical for women.

Genetic screening in newborns isn’t uncommon in today’s time. New screenings are done daily to show if there are any lifelong disorders (New York State). If there is an early recognition treatment can be started early and help the child live a better life. The type of disorders and the heritance are different in every state (Starkweather, 2017). Monitoring newborns and disorders are important because it can sometimes be treated. Testing is done on all newborns in New York State.

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniocentesis amniocentesis is a medical procedure which is used in prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal infections as described below. Amniocentesis carries a small risk for both mother and child and so the test may be offered to mothers who have a significant risk for genetic diseases. However, according to https://www.google.co.uk/#safe=strict&q=chorionic+villus+sampling&*&spf=115 Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) is a test done during the early stages of pregnancy to detect congenital abnormalities in the fetus. It allows the mother to be checked for any signs of Down’s syndrome, Edwards’

Advancements in science and technology have profoundly impacted the medical field as new methods for treatments and diagnoses have increased over the years. Most noticeably, has been the advances and widespread use of prenatal screenings. These screenings provide many benefits to parents; however, like most medical procedures, they aren’t completely devoid of risks. Amniocentesis is one such prenatal screening that has become prevalent in society over the last few decades (Cederholm, Haglund, & Axelsson, 2003).

Continuous advancements have been made in these fields, and thus contribute to human genetic engineering. The method of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, also known as embryonic screening, allows parents at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to ensure their future children are unaffected by the disease. Some say that it would be greatly favorable for parents to have the ability to avoid passing on a genetic disease. While there is potential to eliminate many diseases, it also has an equally likely potential to be a hindrance to progression. Families are placed in a difficult predicament if the test determines the child does indeed have a disease, as they then must then consider the possibility of abortion. This brings about its own ethical

Infant and Maternal mortality rates have declined in the past 60 years because people are waiting till adulthood to have babies. Teen pregnancy used to be common and during that time, their bodies aren’t developed well enough to have a baby. As well as the medical field have made huge advancements in technology and protocols. Prenatal testing can be used to make sure the baby is healthy. Amniocentesis tests are used to check your baby for potential defects or disorders. CVS tests remove chorionic villi cells from the placenta to check for chromosomal abnormalities. Doctors and nurses wash their hands more and more effectively now, stopping the spread of bacteria. Medication helps the mother with pain, stress, blood pressure, and helps the baby

Cell-free fetal DNA testing is a relatively new technique used to screen for genetic disorders in a general obstetrical population. This method is proving to be the most sensitive among all existing standard screening methods in detecting Down syndrome, which is the most prevalent genetic disorder in United States. Beside the accuracy, the cffDNA test is noninvasive, it yields results early in pregnancy, and it is safe to the mother and fetus. Furthermore, when used as a primary screening method, it has proven to significantly reduce reliance on more invasive diagnostic procedures. Therefore, the cell-free fetal DNA testing should become the main screening option in obstetrics in order to protect the wellbeing of the pregnant mother and

Prenatal testing, which can be optional, is done during the first trimester of pregnancy, can be really helpful to parents in determining if their baby will have any future diseases. This particular testing provides information on baby’s health as it can help

The study of the human genome began in the early 1990s and involved into a global project. The purpose was to gain more information about human genes. Which was very difficult to do, with this project in place a better understanding of the human genome was possible. Today women who are expecting go threw an array of tests and screenings to see if their child will have certain genetic diseases, cancers or any health conditions that will impair the child’s life. This is possible due to the testing of the human gene. The benefits of testing the fetus are plentiful, but others argue these tests can be a hindrance to some. The pro testing side argues it improves the lives of human population, reduces disease, creates new medications and gives a better understanding of humans. The other side argues about the ethics of practicing the testing of genes, privacy, and discrimination to the life of a person who has a high risk to certain aliments. In order to remedy this dispute between both sides there needs to be some boundaries, the testing of genes cannot simply be aborted, and also the direction

The next technique routinely performed for prenatal diagnosis is amniocentesis. A long needle is inserted into the mother’s uterus to withdraw a sample of amniotic fluid containing cells shed by the fetus. The cells are cultured and analyzed for chromosome abnormalities. Despite the lengthy time in obtaining results because the cells need to be cultured, this method has become widely accepted as a safe and accurate way to determine genetic disorders.