In Utero Stem Cell Transplantation In utero hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (IUHCT) is a promising approach to treat congenital genetic disorders. IUHCT offers multiple therapeutic advantages over postnatal bone marrow transplantation due in part to the fetal immune system’s ability…
Abbreviations aCGH Array comparative genomic hybridization AF Amniotic fluid CRISPR Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat CVS Chorionic villus sampling FISH Fluorescence in situ hybridization HDR Homology directed repair ICM Inner cell mass ICSI Intracytoplasmic sperm injection mtDNA Mitochondrial DNA…
Introduction Testing is available for an ever-increasing number of genetic disorders. Although prenatal testing originally focused primarily on Down syndrome, it is now possible to detect a broad range of genetic conditions. Prenatal diagnostic testing is most commonly performed on…
Introduction Current standards for prenatal genetic screening and testing are highly focused on detection of aneuploidies that are compatible with live birth, including trisomy 21, which affects 1:600 newborns overall and is associated with long-term survival, and the less common…
Introduction For more than half a century, classical cytogenetics was the standard of care in the diagnosis of developmental disabilities and congenital anomalies. More recently, the introduction of microarray technology into clinical medicine has allowed the identification of subchromosomal abnormalities…
Introduction Structural malformations, many of which can be diagnosed antenatally, are present in approximately 2%–3% of live births. Fetuses with structural malformations are at increased risk for an underlying genetic disorder, even in the setting of a normal karyotype. The…
Introduction Soft ultrasound markers were initially described as a screening method for trisomy 21 to improve the detection rate over that based on age-related risk alone. Soft markers are not structural abnormalities; rather, they are minor ultrasound findings identified in…
Overview Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening has been rapidly introduced into prenatal care since it became clinically available in 2011. cfDNA screening can detect more than 99% of cases of trisomy 21 and also has high sensitivity and specificity for the…
What Is the History of Serum Screening? Prenatal screening for aneuploidy has evolved dramatically over a short period of time. The purpose of prenatal screening for aneuploidy is to identify women who are at an increased risk for the most…
Introduction Prenatal genetic carrier screening has evolved over a period of about 25 years. Advances in technology and health policy have ushered this evolution. With these changes, new terminology has appeared, whereas old terms and their definitions have evolved. It…