Prenatal diagnosis of fetal chromosomal abnormalities: report of an 18-year experience in a Brazilian public hospital
Genet. mol. biol
;
31(4): 829-833, Sept.-Dec. 2008. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-501441
ABSTRACT
The study of the fetal karyotype became an important tool for the fetal diagnosis of genetic diseases in the 1970s. Although application of this test has remained very restricted in Brazil, we had 905 referrals for prenatal fetal karyotyping between 1989 and 2007. In 879 cases, a fetal karyotype was obtained. We detected 74 abnormal karyotypes (8.4%), the majority being found when the prior indication was fetal malformation. When obtaining amniotic fluid or chorionic villus samples was difficult, alternative fetal materials (urine, cystic hygroma, cystic lung, intreperitoneal and cerebrospinal fluids) were collected and we had success in obtaining karyotypes in all 13 cases. Although, the option of terminating abnormal pregnancies does not legally exist in Brazil, the information gained in assessing the prognosis of on-going pregnancies or estimating recurrence risks justifies prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities. We conclude that, in keeping with the policy in most other countries, prenatal cytogenetic analysis is strongly recommended in high-risk pregnancies for fetal abnormalities. However, the unique aspect of this type of study is not its rarity in world terms, but its rarity in Brazil. This argues that Brazilian health policy on prenatal diagnosis requires reforming to make it much more widely available within the public health care sector.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Prenatal Diagnosis
/
Chromosome Aberrations
/
Fetus
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Genet. mol. biol
Journal subject:
Genetics
Year:
2008
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre/BR
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS