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Scientists at Plymouth University have developed a non-invasive, safe and accurate blood test that could detect foetal blood group, sex, and genetic conditions in unborn babies. ‘Although foetal blood grouping and sexing using maternal blood has long been in hot water spanning a decade, these studies proves a way more accurate and sensitive technique for detecting foetal DNA,’ said lead corresponding author professor Neil Avent. Test developed can be carried out on mothers liable to X-linked genetic recessive diseases including haemophilia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy and mothers prone to haemolytic disease of the newborn. It could utilize the blood that is obtained from the mom within the first stages of pregnancy, negating the need for multiple appointments. (Read: Prenatal vitamins for the healthy pregnancy)
‘This offers great chances to detect other concerns applying this technique, but is quite a bit less expensive than current non-invasive methods. The tip is already on the horizon to your invasive techniques of amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling,’ Avent added. The regular amniocentesis test involves a needle and possesses a minor (1 %) likelihood of miscarriage. The modern technique represents fairly low-risk way for their early identification on the number of conditions, which actually will aid earlier diagnosis and possible therapies towards potential benefit from both mother and child. ‘Doing an evaluation is undoubtedly an alternative for people continuing with a pregnancy as they contain the straight away to determine what is ahead,’ said Dr Ross Welch, a consultant in feto-maternal medicine at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. Your research was published from the journal Clinical Chemistry. (Read: A thorough self-help guide to prenatal tests)
