A previous report revealed that 90 percent of unborn babies, who were tested at the early stage positive to be born with birth defects such as Down syndrome, were eliminated by their parents. However, a new study suggested that aborting babies in the early stage might be wrong, as the new research revealed that an embryo has the amazing ability to fix itself.
A group of researchers from the University of Cambridge said pregnant moms carrying embryos with abnormalities may still deliver healthy babies. The suggestion came after the researchers conducted a study -- published in the journal Nature Communications -- with mice as its participants. By the end of the research, the group found out that the subjects with 50 percent defective cells still gave birth to healthy pups.
How did the research start?
Study senior author Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz said she was inspired to carry out the research after giving birth to her second child. She said she was previously told by her doctor that her child might be born with birth defects. Nonetheless, at the age of 44, Magdalena gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
Embryo cell abnormalities 'not necessarily a sign of Down's syndrome' https://t.co/rCswcg9F5O
— The Independent (@Independent) Marso 30, 2016
The Importance Of The Study
In an article released by The New York Times, it stated that 5,500 children were born with Down syndrome yearly in the United States. In a bid to reduce the rate, many health institutions have begun offering screening procedures to all pregnant women so that the expectant and parents have a choice -- whether to continue with the pregnancy or abort the child.
Sadly, many couples don't want to have a child with Down syndrome. The publication revealed that 90 percent of the parents of the embryos diagnosed with Down syndrome diagnosis opted for an abortion.
Prof. Zernicka-Goetz is now hoping that the study will serve as an important message to all pregnant women out there -- not to make a drastic decision right away. "Many expectant mothers have to make a difficult choice about their pregnancy based on a test whose results we don't fully understand," Zernicka Goetz said via The Independent.
Meanwhile, she along with her team still needs to conduct a much wider study before they can conclude that whether the mice observation goes the same way with humans.
