Indications for Antenatal Genetic Diagnosis

The future of antenatal genetic diagnosis is an exciting one. Recent advances include the application of chromosal banding techniques to identify subtle abnormalities and rearrangements; ultrasonography, using high resolution gray scale equipment to permit delineation of fetal soft tissue and skeletal anomalies; and fetoscopy, using a small fiberoptic instrument to view the fetus directly and observe its development. With these advances in technology, it should be possible to enable even more women at high risk for genetically diseased offspring to bear healthy children