http://www.blisstree.com/articles/ravgen-develops-non-invasive-fetal-dna-test-for-downs-syndrome/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:26:12 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.blisstree.com/articles/ravgen-develops-non-invasive-fetal-dna-test-for-downs-syndrome/comment-page-1/#comment-568109 Autism Vox » A Lot of Knowledge Is Not a Bad Thing: Prenatal Testing and Diagnosis Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:44:30 +0000 http://www.geneticsandhealth.com/2007/02/03/ravgen-develops-non-invasive-fetal-dna-test-for-downs-syndrome/#comment-568109 [...] Bonnie Ventura of Aspergian Pride notes in a 2005 interview that “Autism prenatal testing would have no purpose other than abortion. Such a test would stand in stark contrast to other prenatal tests that have legitimate medical purposes”; in contrast, she notes how a prenatal test for neural tube defects has made it possible to “cure or greatly reduce spina bifida” by surgery on a fetus who is still in the womb. Today on Genetics and Health, Dr. Hsien Hsien Lei writes about a recent conversation she had with Dr. Ravinder Dhallan, who is the Chairman and CEO of Ravgen, whose webpage notes that “if you can’t diagnose it, you can’t treat it.” Ravgen is offering a prental test that analyzes fetal DNA in maternal blood. This is a much less “invasive” test for both mother and the unborn child that only requires a blood draw. As Dr. Lei notes, Dr. Dhallen emphasizes that prenatal tests like Ravgen’s are just extra tools to be used in prenatal diagnosis. Genetic testing won’t ever replace technologies like ultrasound that’s capable of diagnosing structural abnormalities in the fetus. However, there is great promise for prenatal tests that can analyze specific genetic loci and mutations. [...] [...] Bonnie Ventura of Aspergian Pride notes in a 2005 interview that “Autism prenatal testing would have no purpose other than abortion. Such a test would stand in stark contrast to other prenatal tests that have legitimate medical purposes”; in contrast, she notes how a prenatal test for neural tube defects has made it possible to “cure or greatly reduce spina bifida” by surgery on a fetus who is still in the womb. Today on Genetics and Health, Dr. Hsien Hsien Lei writes about a recent conversation she had with Dr. Ravinder Dhallan, who is the Chairman and CEO of Ravgen, whose webpage notes that “if you can’t diagnose it, you can’t treat it.” Ravgen is offering a prental test that analyzes fetal DNA in maternal blood. This is a much less “invasive” test for both mother and the unborn child that only requires a blood draw. As Dr. Lei notes, Dr. Dhallen emphasizes that prenatal tests like Ravgen’s are just extra tools to be used in prenatal diagnosis. Genetic testing won’t ever replace technologies like ultrasound that’s capable of diagnosing structural abnormalities in the fetus. However, there is great promise for prenatal tests that can analyze specific genetic loci and mutations. [...]

]]> http://www.blisstree.com/articles/ravgen-develops-non-invasive-fetal-dna-test-for-downs-syndrome/comment-page-1/#comment-568104 Genetics and Health » Dr. Rav Dhallan of Ravgen on Prenatal Testing Wed, 07 Mar 2007 11:52:50 +0000 http://www.geneticsandhealth.com/2007/02/03/ravgen-develops-non-invasive-fetal-dna-test-for-downs-syndrome/#comment-568104 [...] Ravgen is offering one more means of prenatal testing that is much less invasive to both the pregnant mother and her unborn child since it analyzes fetal DNA in maternal blood; only a blood draw is required. But the impact of making prenatal testing even easier than before means that more of us will be under pressure to find out all we can about our babies and to to make sure our children are as perfect as we can make them. On the other hand, it also means that parents and healthcare providers can be better prepared to handle a child with special needs once he or she is born. [...] [...] Ravgen is offering one more means of prenatal testing that is much less invasive to both the pregnant mother and her unborn child since it analyzes fetal DNA in maternal blood; only a blood draw is required. But the impact of making prenatal testing even easier than before means that more of us will be under pressure to find out all we can about our babies and to to make sure our children are as perfect as we can make them. On the other hand, it also means that parents and healthcare providers can be better prepared to handle a child with special needs once he or she is born. [...]

]]>