Women ages 35 or older who become pregnant are more likely to have a baby with Down Syndrome than women who became pregnant younger. Because the original test was very invasive, only those women 35 or older were recommended for testing.
Over the years the test has been improved and allows women to skip unnecessary amnios. Now doctors say all pregnant women should be tested.
Dr. James Goldberg of San Francisco Perinatal Associates said, "It's clear there's no magic jump at 35. We've done away with age 35 because the screening tests have gotten much better."
Down Syndrome, which occurs in about one in every 800 babies, is a birth defect where an extra chromosome causes mental retardation. Some Down Sydrome characteristics are a flattened face, small head, and serious heart defects.
The new test can be used in the first trimester of the pregnancy, allowing the mother to find out if her child has Down Syndrome or any other chromosomal defect.
