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Can a baby with Down syndrome be detected in the womb?

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Can a baby with Down syndrome be detected in the womb?

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The diagnosis of Down syndrome is made by chromosome analysis. There are four tests available which can help detect if a foetus has Down syndrome. These tests can be discussed with your family doctor or your obstetrician. Early ultrasound and maternal serum screening are screening tests only. They may show that a pregnancy is at an increased risk, but they are not diagnostic. Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling are accurate diagnostic tests, however, they are invasive tests. This is because they involve taking a sample of cells from the placenta or fluid around the foetus (amniotic fluid). There is a small risk of miscarriage involved with these invasive procedures. Recently it has been found that early ultrasound at ten to fourteen weeks of pregnancy can give clues as to whether a foetus may have Down syndrome. These clues include a thickening of skin over the neck (‘nuchal translucency’). However this does not always indicate that a child has Down syndrome. Because this is no

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