Question

The difference between prenatal genetic testing and prenatal genetic screening is that testing is performed when there is a family history of a disorder, and screening is performed on the general population.

True

False

Answer 1

Prenatal genetic testing is done during the first trimester of pregnancy , usually when the fetus is 10 to 12 weeks old. This is done to test for any genetic disorders that the baby might carry , either by inheriting from parents or by any disorder in chromosomes or genes of the developing baby.

A sample of cells from placenta are taken for testing because the placental tissues contain the same genetic material as the fetus.

Prenatal genetic screening tests is done on the expecting mother by performing blood tests and ultrasound examination of the fetus to check for aneuloploidy [abnormal number of chromosomes ] , defects of the brain, heart, digestive system or the spine. It can even detect deformities of any body part like limbs, facial features etc.

Since both, prenatal genetic testing and screening are performed on individual pregnant women to detect any defect in the developing fetus, the above statement is false.