After the ultrasound scan, some pregnant women have to go through further examinations to rule out, for example, chromosomal diseases in the fetus.

Today, the offer is a blood test or a placenta biopsy. The placenta test gives the most accurate answer, but firstly it is uncomfortable for the woman, and secondly there is a 0.5 percent risk of miscarriage during the procedure.

Now, Professor Ida Vogel from Aarhus University, together with a number of other researchers from the Central Jutland region, has succeeded in finding a method that only requires a blood test, but can do almost the same as the placenta test. The new method finds a large enough amount of fetal cells in the pregnant woman's blood to make a genetic analysis, and this opens up many possibilities.

"It is a milestone, because we have been working for years to find a gentler method than the placenta test," says Ida Vogel, who is professor of fetal diagnostics at the Department of Women and Childbirth at Aarhus University.

Fetal cells can be found in the blood sample from week 10 to 15.

Several media outlets - including Danmarks Radio - have written about the study. Read more here: https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/er-det-slut-med-en-naal-i-maven-og-risiko-abort-en-blodproeve-kan-afloese (In Danish)

The research results - more information

• In a clinical validation study, the researchers compared the cell-based Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT) with placenta biopsy (CVS) and cell-free NIPT (cfNIPT).
• The research has taken place in collaboration between the hospitals in the Central Jutland region and the private company Arcedi
• Read more in the scientific article 

Contact

Professor Ida Vogel
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine - Department of Clinical Genetics
Mobile: +45 31 52 31 56
Email: iv@clin.au.dk