genetic testing samples (Photo : Reuters)
Scientists have examined the medical records of women with abnormal results from prenatal testing, and discovered that although their fetuses had normal chromosomes, the irregular genetic testing results were sometimes due to various undiagnosed cancers. In very few case studies the tests indicated healthy babies, yet the mothers later received a cancer diagnosis, such as for cancerous blood or colons.
Researchers examined over 125,000 samples from women with Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT). That was from 2012 to 2014.
The researchers discovered that out of around 3,7000 women who had abnormal results, very few received a cancer diagnosis around the time they gave birth, according to Rapid News Network. Just 10 received the bad news.
When multiple abnormal chromosomes were discovered, the risk of maternal cancer was 20 percent to 40 percent. The researchers described the results as "interesting."
Cancer during pregnancy is quite rate. Dr. Diana Bianchi of Tufts Medical Center in Boston explained that it appears in around one in 1,000 pregnant women.
The more fetal abnormalities the prenatal tests detected, the greater the likelihood the expecting mother had cancer. Typically it picked up just one abnormality.
Dr. Robert Green of Brigham and Women's Hospital noted that launching a new medical technology can result in "unexpected discoveries." Genetic testing can provide such surprising results.
Researchers admit that more studies needed. It could help them to discover a particular maternal condition that was cancer-causing.
Over 2 million pre-natal genetic tests have been conducted worldwide since their 2011 launch. Such exams are critical as they examine the expecting mother's blood, and detect genetic abnormalities such as Down Syndrome, according to Pierce Pioneer.
