February 1, 2009
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmAmnio Alternative
By Gary Stix
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Amniocentesis and other prenatal tests designed to assess fetal health carry a small risk of miscarriage. Now Chinese researchers may have found an alternative diagnostic method based on a technique that distinguishes maternal DNA from fetal DNA in the mother's blood. That ability could lead to simple, no-risk blood tests that determine whether a fetus has a problem caused by single-gene mutations, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. The fetal DNA, which tends to be shorter than that of the mother, is duplicated and subjected to a “molecular counting” technique that tallies both mutant and normal genetic material. Researchers can use the data to determine whether the fetus has inherited a monogenetic disease. The San Diego–based biotech company Sequenom plans to develop the test for commercial distribution. The study appears in the December 16, 2008, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
