Aurora magazine

With the increase in pregnancies over 35, also increases the number of women who opt for a non-invasive prenatal testing. It is a report in the report "NIPT: market growth, future prospects, competitive analysis 2016-2022" American Credence Research Institute. According to the document, the worldwide market for prenatal screening test is constantly growing and will reach 5.5 billion dollars in 2015. The merit of the accuracy of such tests: just a drop of maternal blood to detect a wide range of genetic abnormalities of the fetus.

The next-generation sequencing, the so-called "next generation sequencing", gave a strong boost to the field of non-invasive prenatal screening. These techniques enable an analysis of fetal DNA from a few drops of the mother's blood. In this way, doctors are able to detect trisomies, duplications, translocations. Without the modern technologies, we should still make use of much more invasive techniques such as amniocentesis.

The first test is only focused on chromosomes 21, 18 and 13. Abnormalities in these chromosomes are symptoms of Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Patau syndrome. Scientific research and the emergence of new technologies have made it possible to screen for 19 additional genetic abnormalities, ricollegabili especially rare genetic diseases.

The non-invasive prenatal testing has been proven safe and accurate. To date they have benefited more than 1 million women worldwide, of which 58% is in the United States. But the market is also growing in Europe and Asia. As women are approaching motherhood in later ages, it becomes increasingly more advisable to make use of antenatal screening.

The new tests are designed to detect in time any genetic anomalies, most likely in older mothers. also help to safeguard the health of so many healthy fetuses, which might be damaged by more invasive techniques.

Source: panorama.it

Researchers at Altravita clinic in Moscow have discovered the positive effects of techno music on in vitro fertilization. According to the study, prolonged listening to this kind of music would increase the chances of success of the procedure. Obviously, these benefits would not be the result of the intrinsic quality of the musical genre. The credit would be of vibrations from the bass tone and repetitive, typical precisely of techno music. If the discovery is confirmed, it would have a significant change in the playlist of fertility clinics and hospitals.

The team led by Alex Biryukov noted 700 egg cells throughout their course, before, during and after fertilization. Scholars have divided the cells into two groups and have left them in a room for 24 hours. In the first room they did playing techno music pieces, while the second remained without music. They then fertilized ova and have them implanted in the uterus.

The implant in utero phase is the most delicate in the complex of in vitro fertilization. It represents one of the chief barriers to the success of the procedure. According to the study, the eggs exposed to the techno music would best taken root and in greater numbers.

The vibrations would facilitate fertilization, recreating conditions similar to those occurring in the womb after conception. The music would act as a sort of massage for ova, facilitating the movement of nutrients and stimulating the expulsion of harmful substances.

Source: lastampa.it

A study at the University of Edinburgh revealed a possible link between the intake of anti-acids in pregnancy and asthma in the unborn child. According to the researchers, drugs against acid reflux that many mothers assume may have unclear consequences on the child's future health. But this is a preliminary study: you will need to do further studies, so as to identify any additional factors go unnoticed.

Many expectant mothers suffer from acidity and heartburn problems, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy. The main cause of the disorder are the placental hormones that relax the esophageal muscles and make it easier to go back gastric acids. Sometimes to solve the problem just a few changes to your lifestyle, and sometimes they are necessary specific drugs. More than one doctor, however, he has advanced some doubts on the assumption pregnancy of anti-acids. It is suspected that in fact increase the chances for the child to develop allergic diseases. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have therefore decided to investigate whether these concerns have a foundation.

The researchers analyzed the data in eight studies, involving a total of 1.3 million children. Among those exposed to anti-acids in the womb, the chances of having asthma problems during childhood would have been one-third higher. This makes it more likely a correlation between the intake of anti-acid drugs during pregnancy and asthma in the unborn child.

For the moment the data are partial. It is suspected that there is a connection between the two things, but more evidence of a true relationship of cause and effect. It is therefore good that expectant mothers continue to follow the existing guidelines. During the nine months, the mother takes care not only of itself, but also the unborn future. Prenatal screening tests such as fetal DNA tests are useful for didnt want so they can monitor the baby's development.

Source: pharmastar.it

One of the Lancet Global Health study reveals that 10% of pregnant women continue to drink alcohol. alarming numbers, which are aggravated when the focus shifts on our country. In Italy, in fact, 50% of lactating women consumes more alcohol than recommended. This exposes the fetus to the so-called fetal alcohol syndrome, which leads to develop neurological disorders and birth defects.

A team from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto (CAMH) has produced an estimate of the percentage of women who continue to take alcohol during pregnancy. In order to obtain these data, the researchers reviewed the world literature on the subject in a systematic way. They were able to also create a comparison of the percentage of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and fetal alcohol syndrome rates. The analysis was conducted at both the world, both at country level and at the level of the six regional structures the World Health Organization (Europe, Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, the Americas, the Western Pacific).

The study shows that worldwide, 10% of pregnant women continue to drink alcohol, although the percentages vary from country to country. In Europe the percentage exceeds 25%, with peaks in Italy, UK and Russia; here the percentage beat and sometimes exceed 50%. These countries are also born a greater number of children with fetal alcohol syndrome: in Italy there are about 82 cases of syndrome of every 10,000 newborns. In the United States, however, there are approximately 22 cases per 10,000 births, compared with 10 cases per 10,000 in Canada. In the Middle East, where the consumption of alcohol is almost completely absent for religious reasons, there is less than 1 in 10,000.

Drink more than recommended during pregnancy does not automatically lead to fetal alcohol syndrome. Nevertheless, the connection between increased alcohol consumption and more cases is obvious. According to the study, about one mother who consumes alcohol of 67 will give birth to a sick child. However, it is still unclear what other factors come into play in the development of the disease. The researchers think that genetics, stress, smoking and diet play a role, but currently lack evidence to support the thesis. The only safe form of prevention remains so complete abstention from alcohol and, for safety, a comprehensive prenatal screening.

Source: osservatoriomalattierare.it