In a surprising twist on what is considered quality, evidence-based healthcare, new guidelines recommend that expectant moms be blindsided with toxic knowledge. Continue Reading
December 17, 2013
Another year, another change in prenatal testing recommendations by ACOG
Last year, the American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) issued its position statement on non-invasive prenatal screening, recommending it be offered to high-risk expectant mothers. This year, ACOG, along with the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, recommends a new form of diagnostic testing for expectant mothers. Continue Reading
July 17, 2013
On Down syndrome prenatal testing, they don’t get to have it both ways
The recent press releases by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the video above show the inconsistency in policy positions in obstetric care. Regarding Down syndrome prenatal testing, they shouldn't get to have it both ways. Continue Reading
March 11, 2013
Paradoxical Genes
I had reason to refer to a column of mine, published a few years ago, called "My Daughter's Paradoxical Genes." It addresses the paradox of the ACOG recommendation that all women be offered prenatal testing for Down syndrome, but a separate ACOG ethics committee condemns the use of prenatal testing for sex selective abortion. The column remains one of my favorites, and the paradox still has yet to be explained by ACOG. You can read the full article at this link. Continue Reading
January 7, 2013
We Know Not What We May Be
During the winter break, I tried spending as much time as possible with my family. I treasure how, at the start of December, the day after we put the Christmas tree up, my daughter came downstairs, threw down both her hands, and, exasperated, said, "Daddy--where are all the presents?!" A recent post by Amy Juila Becker got me thinking about an ancient lesson revealed in this the holiday season. Amy Julia is an author, a blogger, and a mother of three. Her oldest, Penny, happens to have Down Continue Reading
December 4, 2012
Verinata’s Prenatal Testing Flow Chart: Unethical?
As I’ve mentioned before, on the home page there is a scroll of my twitter feed. Like this blog, I typically tweet about news related to Down syndrome and/or prenatal testing. But, sometimes Twitter’s 140-character limit is not enough to provide a thorough analysis of ethical issues. Verinata is a laboratory that developed its version of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which has the brand name "verifi." Featured on its website is the following decision-making flow chart for prenatal Continue Reading
November 23, 2012
Breaking News: ACOG Issues New Guidelines on NIPT
Since the 1990's, when fragments of cell free fetal DNA (cffDNA) were found in the mother's blood stream, researchers have been on a quest for what is regularly termed "The Holy Grail" of prenatal testing: a diagnostic test from just a mother's blood sample. If the fetal DNA could be identified and tested, then the fetus' genetic code could be diagnosed. Mothers (and practitioners) would be able to receive a diagnosis without risking miscarriage, as must be done with current diagnostic tests, Continue Reading
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