Kochi, March 21 (IANS) Screening all pregnancies, irrespective of age, may help in early identification of Down syndrome cases, said doctors on World Down Syndrome Day on Thursday.
Children born with the genetic condition have an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21. They typically experience deficits in brain development, heart disease, thyroid gland dysfunction, vision impairment, and hearing loss.
“It is imperative to adopt universal first-trimester screening, employing biochemical marker measurements in blood and ultrasound examinations, which boasts up to 90 per cent accuracy in identifying foetal risk,” said Sheela Nampoothiri, Head of Paediatric Genetics, Amrita Hospital, Kochi, in a statement.
Traditionally, several studies had indicated that those women conceiving at later ages after 35 years had chances of delivering a child with Down syndrome, and thus screening was done only among these women.
“But Down Syndrome being a chromosomal abnormality can happen at any maternal age. Thus, universal screening must be done in all pregnant women irrespective of age to rule out the possibilities of Down syndrome,” Vipul Gupta – chief of Neurointervention and co-chief of stroke unit, at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram, told IANS.
Debunking age-based assumptions, Nampoothiri cited a recent study led by her at Amrita Hospital to “reinforce the need for universal screening for Down syndrome to all pregnant women and not only limited to women above 35 years of age”.
Of the 418 children with Down syndrome in the study, 78 per cent were born to mothers under 35 years.
“This showcases the alarming situation of otherwise missing such a huge percentage of cases being detected if the screening was only conducted above 35 years of pregnant women,” the doctor said.
Vipul noted that although the risk of having a child with Down syndrome increases with maternal age, it’s essential to recognise that Down syndrome can occur in pregnancies at any age.
“Foetal protein (serum concentration) is used to screen neural tube defects in the foetus. If any significant amount is lower than the reference then the foetus is suspected for Down Syndrome. Therefore, universal screening ensures that all pregnant individuals can make informed decisions about their healthcare and pregnancy management,” the doctor said.
–IANS
rvt/svn
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
