title: Screening for fetal abnormalities during pregnancy.
abstract: Pre-natal testing in early pregnancy is used to detect serious congenital fetal abnormalities, with a view to terminating the pregnancies in which they are found. Most of these tests are carried out on patients who are at particular risk, the majority of tests using amniotic fluid which may be derived from both fetal and maternal sources. The more recent technique of chorionic villus sampling is also discussed.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kilshaw
mesh_terms: D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis