Chromosome testing

When it comes to chromosomes, many people are familiar with them. Chromosomes are important carriers of our genetic genes. Parents' genes are usually inherited to children through chromosomes. If the sex chromosomes are abnormal, the child may have some genetic diseases. Therefore, for the health of the fetus, pregnant mothers usually need to undergo chromosome examinations. However, many people do not know much about chromosome examinations.

The health of the fetus is the topic that pregnant mothers are most concerned about. In order to determine whether the baby is healthy, some examinations are necessary. Chromosome examination is one of the examinations that pregnant mothers need to do. Homologous translocation is a translocation between two chromosomes of the same number. This translocation results in 100% abnormal embryos formed after fertilization. Because all fetuses born with an extra chromosome will be severely demented and deformed, and all fetuses with one less chromosome, except for X monosomy, will be stillborn. Therefore, the only option for patients with homologous chromosomal translocation is not to have children to avoid lifelong pain.

Habitual miscarriage is academically known as recurrent spontaneous abortion, which refers to the phenomenon of fetal growth retardation or stillbirth occurring more than twice in a row within the same pregnancy. It falls under the category of infertility and is a common outcome of many diseases that affect pregnancy. The incidence rate is 1% of total pregnancies, but it has been on the rise in recent years. In early miscarriages. 60-80% are caused by chromosomal abnormalities, and about 33% of couples with miscarriage have chromosomal abnormalities.

The results of chromosome examination are usually as follows:

1. Balanced Chromosome Translocation

Doctors divide a person's 23 pairs of chromosomes into numbers 1-22 and XX or XY. In cytogenetic examination, chromosome translocation between different sizes, shapes, structures and functions is called balanced translocation. Most patients with balanced translocation do not suffer from malformations or mental retardation, but carriers can give birth to normal children or balanced translocation carriers, malformed fetuses or stillbirths, with the probability of each being 1/4 and random. The latter two situations often lead to miscarriage.

It is important to note that at least half of these abortions are caused by the husband. Because half of the fetus' chromosomes come from the mother and the other half come from the father. So if a wife has a miscarriage, the husband must also go for a chromosome test. This type of abortion is generally not recommended to preserve the fetus. When the pregnancy is 16-20 weeks, the pregnant woman will undergo an amniotic fluid chromosome test. If the fetus is found to be abnormal, induced abortion must be performed. Otherwise, a deformed baby with mental retardation will be born.

2. Homologous translocation of chromosomes

Simply put, a homologous translocation is a translocation between two chromosomes of the same number. This translocation results in 100% abnormal embryos formed after fertilization. Because all fetuses born with an extra chromosome will be severely demented and deformed, and all fetuses with one less chromosome, except for X monosomy, will be stillborn. Therefore, the only option for patients with homologous chromosomal translocation is not to have children to avoid lifelong pain.

3. Normal chromosomes

For those with normal chromosome test results, further examinations are still needed. It should be noted that even if the chromosomes of both husband and wife are normal, the fetus may also have chromosomal abnormalities, because many chromosomal abnormalities are caused by early embryonic mutations. Therefore, pregnant women should not blindly preserve the fetus before undergoing an amniotic fluid chromosome test to avoid giving birth to a baby of inferior quality.

Chromosome testing can help everyone understand the health status of the fetus more clearly. For the health of the next generation, pregnant mothers must pay attention to chromosome testing during pregnancy. If the chromosome test finds abnormalities, they must consult a doctor in time.