Down Syndrome detection with zero risk to mother and baby now in Mumbai

by Sumitra Deb Roy from The Times of India:
MUMBAI: A new revolutionary technology called NACE (Non-invasive Analysis for Chromosomal Examination) with more accuracy as compared to 1st trimester screening has been introduced in Mumbai. It can detect chromosomally linked diseases like Down syndrome with a simple blood test. It can precisely tell a pregnant mother, as early as three months into her pregnancy, whether her child has Down syndrome.
Currently, tests such as amniocentesis and Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) are widely used to detect any chromosomal abnormality but these tests are invasive and carry a high risk resulting in a miscarriage. The NACE test is performed on the cell free fetal DNA, which is extracted from the mother's blood via a simple blood draw, hence posing zero risk to the baby and to the mother. It is done from the 10th week to the 16th week of pregnancy, giving enough time for the woman to be counseled accordingly.