PREGNANCY: SPECIAL TESTS

by admin on March 23rd, 2009. Filed under Women's Health

There may be factors in a woman’s past history or family history which alert a doctor to the possibility of an increased risk of certain conditions in the foetus. Some of these can be tested for in early pregnancy. Conditions which can be looked for include:

Chromosomal abnormalities

The most common chromosomal abnormality is Down’s syndrome. This occurs in one in 700 pregnancies on average, but the chances of it occurring increase with the pregnant woman’s age. (The age of the father does not affect die chances of chromosomal abnormalities.) If the woman is between the ages of 37 and 39 at delivery, the chance of a chromosomal abnormality in her baby is about one in 200. When the woman is 40 or 41, the risk is one in 100. Over the age of 41 the chance increases further.

If a woman or her partner has a chromosomal abnormality, or has had a child previously who has had one, there is also an increased risk.

Spina bifida. This condition results from incomplete closure of the tissues around the spinal cord during development of the foetus. The degree of lack of closure may be small or large, and it can be related to significant problems with the spinal cord. There are different classifications for the various degrees of spina bifida, and the incidence varies with each group.

The age of the parents is not related to the risk of spina bifida, but having had an affected baby in a previous pregnancy does increase the risk, so these women are offered testing.

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