Prenatal DNA Gender Tests

Re: Real Blood Test Does Exist?

Maureen — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 19:28:09 GMT

I honestly don't think it is far away. But it sure ain't now.

The way it works is this. As the baby grows, he is constantly shedding cells in the womb, just as he will continue to do after he's born. These cells find their way into the mother's bloodstream, where they are broken down. So there are fragments of the baby's DNA floating around in the mother's blood. The test works by testing the mother's blood for a specific gene from the Y chromosome -- in other words, a gene possessed only by males. If it is found, since that gene can't be the mother's gene because she's female, it must be from her male baby. If it isn't found, the baby is assumed to be female.

Re: Real Blood Test Does Exist?

WantWarriorPrincess — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 19:18:34 GMT

Ahh, that all makes sense. Thanks, Maureen. I really should look at the dates on these things! That is fascinating that they've done it at all, even in a highly specialized lab environment. I still wonder how they can tell if you have Y-chromosomes floating from a current pregnancy vs. a previous one.

Yes, a commercial test for me to order over the internet and/or perform at home seems far, far away.

WWP

Re: Real Blood Test Does Exist?

Maureen — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:46:25 GMT

As far as consumer availability, this article is out of date (Feb.2005).

The hope of researchers is that such a test could be used by doctors to determine sex (in cases where the parents are carriers of a sex-linked disorder) and other genetic or chromosomal abnormalities -- instead of a CVS or amnio. A CVS/amnio carries a risk of m/c that a simple blood or urine test does not.

The crux here is that there have been studies in the lab on small numbers of women with good results for determining sex. A consumer product handled by a normal person is a whole nother ball of wax.

Real Blood Test Does Exist?

WantWarriorPrincess — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:30:07 GMT

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52367

At the very end of the article discussing gender myths during pregnancy, they discuss the real deals, including some "DNA blood screen." They also mention how expensive it is. Has anyone had this done? When and why do doctors do such a test? I wonder if Tell Me and BGM are trying to do simplified/cheaper versions of this medical procedure, but it is not working out very well?

WWP