Genetic counseling for parents is becoming
increasingly important.Genetic counseling can help identify and
interpret the risks of an inherited disorder, explain inheritance patterns,
suggest testing, and lay out possible scenarios. Counselors refer people to a
doctor or a laboratory. Screening and diagnostic testing can be performed
to check for Downs/Turner syndrome before a baby is even born. Diagnostic tests
can provide a definitive diagnosis with almost 100% percent accuracy. Most
screening tests involve a blood test and an ultrasound. Together with a
mother’s age, these are used to estimate her chance of having a child with Down
syndrome or Turner Prenatal screenings and diagnostic tests are routinely
offered to women of all ages. The diagnostic procedures available are chorionic
villus sampling and amniocentesis. These procedures can carry up to a 1% risk
of causing a miscarriage, but are practically 100% accurate is diagnosing Down
syndrome and Turner. The most recent study on prenatal testing in the United
States estimates that almost 75% of all pregnancies undergo prenatal screening
for Down and Turner syndrome. The number of women having prenatal testing for
Down and Turner syndrome means two opposing decisions are be made: to abort or
to continue a pregnancy positive for Down syndrome or Turner syndrome.
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The most recent study on prenatal testing in the United States estimates that almost 75% of all pregnancies undergo prenatal testing for Syndromes. This is an increase form just 25% in the 1980s and 50% in the 1990s. This increase in the number of women having prenatal means two opposing decisions are being made more than ever; to abort or to continue a positive pregnancy.
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