Scientists Decipher Almost the Entire Genome of an Unborn Baby
In a new study fraught with some heady ethical questions, scientists have sequenced almost the complete genome of an unborn child, and done so without interrupting the fetus or the mother's womb. The team used the mother's blood and the father's saliva to determine their child's genetic sequence in the second trimester. Fetal genetic tests already exist for a few chromosomal abnormalities and genetic conditions - amniocentesis, which samples the fluid in the amniotic sac, is a common test for Down syndrome, for instance. But the tests can disrupt the environment of the womb and have been shown to cause miscarriages in rare cases. Instead, this new test uses maternal blood taken just 18 weeks into the pregnancy, plus a paternal saliva sample. The scientists checked their genetic test's accuracy using umbilical cord blood after the baby was born, and found it needs improvement, but is largely accurate. Related ArticlesBaby Born From...