1a. Reasons for the development of the technology
The amniocentesis procedure was developed to assess the unborn baby and whether it has any risk of developing or has already developed a serious health condition or abnormality, however, its first use was to determine the sex of the baby. The test is taken when risk factors are present including:
- Being aged over 35
- History of inherited problems in the family
- Other tests have shown the baby may have problems
During an amniocentesis, a needle is inserted into the womb to extract approx. 20mL of amniotic fluid. The fluid contains cells shed from the child and each contain a full code of the baby’s DNA, thus being very useful in assessing the baby for any issues. The amniocentesis can tell …show more content…
The presence of cells in the amniotic fluid could be used to determine the baby’s sex and their chromosomes. This was a large discovery for two reasons: first, it allowed the parents one of the first ways to find out their child’s gender, and second, it could be used to reveal an abnormality in the chromosomal cells. This was not successfully employed until 1966, when Mark W Steele and William Roy Breg harvested cells from an amniocentesis, allowing for karyotyping of the chromosomes, and therefore future diagnosis of Down Syndrome and other chromosomal imbalances. This breakthrough allowed amniocentesis procedures to become the dominant field of prenatal genetic testing.
Another change made to early amniocentesis procedures was the introduction of the ultrasound, which provided a more direct and safer guide into the uterus. Due to the danger of doing an amniocentesis without the ultrasound, the procedure was typically reserved for those 35 or older whose child may be at risk for a birth defect. However, with the use of ultrasounds to safely guide the needle, and an analysis of the predictive value of the test and a cost benefit analysis, the test began to be offered to women of all
The amniocentesis procedure was developed to assess the unborn baby and whether it has any risk of developing or has already developed a serious health condition or abnormality, however, its first use was to determine the sex of the baby. The test is taken when risk factors are present including:
- Being aged over 35
- History of inherited problems in the family
- Other tests have shown the baby may have problems
During an amniocentesis, a needle is inserted into the womb to extract approx. 20mL of amniotic fluid. The fluid contains cells shed from the child and each contain a full code of the baby’s DNA, thus being very useful in assessing the baby for any issues. The amniocentesis can tell …show more content…
The presence of cells in the amniotic fluid could be used to determine the baby’s sex and their chromosomes. This was a large discovery for two reasons: first, it allowed the parents one of the first ways to find out their child’s gender, and second, it could be used to reveal an abnormality in the chromosomal cells. This was not successfully employed until 1966, when Mark W Steele and William Roy Breg harvested cells from an amniocentesis, allowing for karyotyping of the chromosomes, and therefore future diagnosis of Down Syndrome and other chromosomal imbalances. This breakthrough allowed amniocentesis procedures to become the dominant field of prenatal genetic testing.
Another change made to early amniocentesis procedures was the introduction of the ultrasound, which provided a more direct and safer guide into the uterus. Due to the danger of doing an amniocentesis without the ultrasound, the procedure was typically reserved for those 35 or older whose child may be at risk for a birth defect. However, with the use of ultrasounds to safely guide the needle, and an analysis of the predictive value of the test and a cost benefit analysis, the test began to be offered to women of all