In recent decades, fetal medicine has witnessed remarkable advancements, encompassing a spectrum of fetal assessment and treatment methods, ranging from noninvasive approaches to direct intrauterine interventions. The practice of prenatal diagnosis for chromosomal abnormalities dates back to the 1960s and remains an integral part of prenatal care. Techniques for detecting chromosomal irregularities in prenatal samples include karyotyping of G-banded chromosomes, chromosomal microarrays, quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). The rapid progress in fetal medicine and prenatal diagnosis has presented both opportunities and ethical dilemmas.
Genetic counselling emerges as a pivotal facet of prenatal diagnosis as our understanding of genetic conditions deepens, along with the nuances of genotype-phenotype correlations. Emphasizing the necessity of genetic counselling becomes vital, especially considering the uncertainties tied to risk assessment and phenotypic variability.
This Research Topic seeks to offer a comprehensive panorama of this dynamic field by gathering contributions spanning every facet of fetal medicine and prenatal diagnosis. We welcome articles focusing on the following topics, or others related to advancements in prenatal diagnosis:
• Fetal development
• Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis and screening
• Novel ultrasound technologies
• Fetal therapies
• Ongoing debates in prenatal diagnosis
• Genetic counselling
• The certainties and uncertainties inherent in genetic information
• Psychosocial and ethical dimensions of prenatal diagnosis and treatment.
In recent decades, fetal medicine has witnessed remarkable advancements, encompassing a spectrum of fetal assessment and treatment methods, ranging from noninvasive approaches to direct intrauterine interventions. The practice of prenatal diagnosis for chromosomal abnormalities dates back to the 1960s and remains an integral part of prenatal care. Techniques for detecting chromosomal irregularities in prenatal samples include karyotyping of G-banded chromosomes, chromosomal microarrays, quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). The rapid progress in fetal medicine and prenatal diagnosis has presented both opportunities and ethical dilemmas.
Genetic counselling emerges as a pivotal facet of prenatal diagnosis as our understanding of genetic conditions deepens, along with the nuances of genotype-phenotype correlations. Emphasizing the necessity of genetic counselling becomes vital, especially considering the uncertainties tied to risk assessment and phenotypic variability.
This Research Topic seeks to offer a comprehensive panorama of this dynamic field by gathering contributions spanning every facet of fetal medicine and prenatal diagnosis. We welcome articles focusing on the following topics, or others related to advancements in prenatal diagnosis:
• Fetal development
• Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis and screening
• Novel ultrasound technologies
• Fetal therapies
• Ongoing debates in prenatal diagnosis
• Genetic counselling
• The certainties and uncertainties inherent in genetic information
• Psychosocial and ethical dimensions of prenatal diagnosis and treatment.