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maternal education and diagnostic techniques during pregnancy

maternal education and diagnostic techniques during pregnancy

Edited by: TOP DOCTORS® at 10/10/2023

Prenatal diagnosis is useful to know the health and training of a baby before birth, to do a number of techniques, invasive and noninvasive, that do not cause pain to the mother are performed treatment.

Dr.. Liliana Fernández Hernández

diagnosis Prenatal diagnosis allows us to know how is health and training of the baby before birth. To study the genetic information of the child is required to obtain a sample of either amniotic fluid or placenta. Either of these samples are obtained and analyzed all chromosomes (archivists of genetic information) that make up the cell.

Prenatal diagnostic techniques: types and characteristics

Techniques to study these chromosomes are divided into invasive, where non-invasive uterine cavity and invade, those made from maternal blood. Both studies to identify known genetic syndromes, mainly Down syndrome (trisomy 21) and other alterations in chromosomes 13 and 18, as well as the sex chromosomes.

The noninvasive technique also study these same chromosomes, but these are separated from maternal blood. All mothers have your baby 's genetic information into the bloodstream.

There are mainly 2 invasive techniques:

1) chorionic villi biopsy in which a small piece of the placenta is obtained (having the genetic information of the baby)

2) Amniocentesis whereby 20 ml of amniotic fluid obtained. Both techniques require follow - up ultrasound to ensure that will not cause any harm to the baby.

None of the 2 techniques is usually a painful procedure for the mother and do not require hospitalization. After obtaining the cells are studied in a laboratory specializing in genetics.

Best pregnancy recommending applying these techniques

Villi biopsy is indicated between weeks 11 and 14 of pregnancy and amniocentesis between weeks 16 and 20. After this period are not recommended. On the other hand, non - invasive test can be performed from week 9 of gestation until the end of pregnancy.

Some possible side effects

Invasive techniques carry a risk of pregnancy loss in 1 in 200 pregnancies because invades the uterine cavity. However, in the hands of medical specialists these risks decrease significantly. Non-invasive techniques are safer because they have no risk of pregnancy loss.

Genetics in Miguel Hidalgo