children s health issues
Overview of Chromosome and Gene Disorders
Testing for Chromosome and Gene Abnormalities
A person's chromosomes and genes can be evaluated by analyzing a sample of blood as well as cells from other parts of the body such as from a swab of the inside of the cheek. During pregnancy, doctors can use cells retrieved via Amniocentesis or More recently, a screening test has been developed in which a sample of a pregnant woman's blood is analyzed to determine whether her fetus has an increased risk of certain genetic disorders. This test is based on the fact that the mother's blood contains a very small amount of DNA from the fetus. This test is called noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) or Screening of the Pregnant Woman . NIPS can be used to detect an increased risk of trisomy 21 ( 