A test for foetal Down's syndrome that does not involve taking samples from either the placenta or the amniotic fluid has been developed by scientists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The technique, which will be described in 25 November
Although further large-scale trials are necessary, the authors hope that the FISH technique could offer a safer alternative to amniocentesis. "Ultimately, with further technical refinements, prenatal diagnosis by maternal plasma DNA analysis could reduce our reliance on invasive methods, leading to safer investigative protocols." The...