Prepare pregnant women for bad health news from prenatal tests, doctors urged
by Ian Sample, science editor from on (#AC1B)
Unexpected diagnosis of cancer and genetic problems is increasing as more women are tested, prompting calls for better information and counselling
Doctors are being urged to help pregnant women ready themselves for bad news about their health which can emerge accidentally from tests on their babies.
Modern prenatal tests can spot genetic problems in babies from fragments of their DNA that leak into the mother's bloodstream. But the same tests can reveal unknown health problems in mothers themselves, from early stage cancer to genetic disorders.
