In Vitro Fertility Goddess

Miscarriage Risk From Down Syndrome Test

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Source: Down Syndrome Education International

Wednesday 17 September 2008

The invasive procedure aimed at detecting Down's Syndrome is being blamed for an unacceptable high rate of miscarriages of otherwise healthy babies.

Research undertaken by the Down Syndrome Education International or DSEI charity found that two healthy foetuses miscarry for every three which are detected with Down's in the womb.

The procedures responsible are known as an amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling which involves inserting a needle into the abdomen to extract a tissue or amniotic fluid sample for further analysis. The test is given to pregnant mothers who are believed to be at risk of delivering a Down's baby after undertaking a blood test.

DSEI chief executive Frank Buckley and lead author of this study which looked at 660 foetuses says that "around 400 babies without Down's Syndrome being lost in the process of preventing the birth of 660 babies with Down's Syndrome - that's around two babies without for every three babies with. I think that's a shocking ratio."

In another disturbing finding, Dr Buckley pointed out that 95 % per cent of women deemed to be high risk will not be carrying a baby with the disorder. But most of these women end up having the tests anyway resulting in the unnecessary loss of healthy babies.

The research has lead to calls for the rapid introduction of better screening of mothers-to-be to reduce reliance on the invasive and dangerous tests. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence wants all pregnant women to undergo a combined non-invasive screening procedure which involves both a blood test and scans.

Foetal medicine expert Professor Kypros Nicolaides from London's King College Hospital supports the reform: "It is completely unacceptable that in order to detect 600, 700 or 800 foetuses with Down's Syndrome, we must tolerate the intolerable loss of 400 - more or less - normal babies. Our aim must be to improve the detection of foetuses with Down's in those women who want to have a test and dramatically reduce the number of normal babies that are lost as part of the process of screening and diagnosis."

Sue Williams, IVFG Reporter