New method for testing foetus genes could end miscarriage risks

Now scientists in Hong Kong have made a groundbreaking discovery which will make it possible for doctors to detect a whole range of genetic abnormalities in foetuses by simply testing the mother's blood.

The team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have become the first in the world to map out the entire genome - the DNA sequence - of an unborn baby from a sample of blood taken from a woman 12 weeks pregnant.

The discovery opens the door to the development of a maternal blood test capable of detecting multiple genetic disorders which could replace more invasive and potentially risky tests such as amniocentesis.

Previously, it was not known whether the complete DNA of the baby was present in the mother's blood, and tests could only look for one disorder at a time.

The discovery was 'a quantum leap,' said the team of scientists, who were also responsible for first discovering the presence of foetal DNA in maternal blood in 1997.