Safer test for babies

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Oct 7, 2008

A NEW, non-invasive test for women worried that their unborn child has Down's Syndrome has been developed.

The technique - developed at Stanford University, California - involves looking for tell-tale chromosome fragments in a blood sample.

It allowed scientists to pinpoint signs of chromosomal abnormality in 18 pregnant women.

Last year the US company Ravgen announced the successful trial of a similar detection method.

At present a procedure called amniocentesis is used to test for chromosomal abnormalities.

This involves inserting a long needle through the mother's abdomen and drawing off fluid from the womb.

As well as being uncomfortable and inconvenient amniocentesis carries a small risk of miscarriage or infection.

Down's syndrome occurs when a foetus has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two.

Prof Stephen Quake, from Stanford University, said: "Non-invasive testing will be much safer than current approaches."