He new pregnancy test that the Ministry of Health of Asturias will soon incorporate into its program of detection of fetal chromosomal abnormalities, will allow you to avoid performing half of the amniocentesis that are usually done. This novel test can detect up to 96% of the chromosomal abnormalities that a fetus may present.
The new test consists of performing three tests during the first three months of gestation, the biochemical detection of two substances and the ultrasound detection that will determine the thickness of the nuchal fold. The importance of this new test lies in the need to reduce data on births with congenital defects. In Asturias, up to 2.7 of newborn babies have some type of congenital defect and 34.8 out of every 100,000 births have chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, one of the most frequent anomalies that affects 18 newborns of every 10,000 Reducing the number of amniocentesis is of vital importance, since the risks that these tests entail are reduced, such as infections that occur in future moms that can even cause an abortion. The data reflect that only last year 1,353 amniocentesis were practiced in Asturias, avoiding this large number of invasive tests is necessary to guarantee an optimal state of health for the mother.
We have always commented on the importance of preventive methods and early detection, thanks to them many problems are avoided. Health should start considering taking this new test at the national level to ensure better health in all pregnant women at risk in Spain.
