BSMMU launches country’s first genetic abnormality test of foetus
Any woman who is 11 to 14 weeks pregnant will be able to take a risk assessment test of the foetus at a cost of Tk4,500
The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU) has introduced a medical test for detecting chromosomal or genetic abnormalities in three-month-old foetuses for the first time in the country.
The trimester screening chromosomal anomaly test will be very helpful in avoiding birth defects such as Autism and Down syndrome in newborns, said physicians at the inaugural ceremony of the test at BSMMU on Tuesday afternoon.
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Radiology and Imaging, and Department of Laboratory Medicine at the BSMMU jointly launched the test.
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Dr Rezaul Karim Kazal, associate professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, told The Business Standard, "From now on, any woman who is 11 to 14 weeks pregnant will be able to go to the outdoor of the Gynaecology department to take a risk assessment test of the foetus."
For taking the test, aspirants will have to fill out a form providing information about the mother's age, whether she is diabetic or not, and whether she had a child with Down syndrome before, he said.
"Then two hormonal tests will be performed on the mother's blood sample and an ultrasonography will also be performed on the mother to complete the risk assessment," said the Gynaecology professor, adding that the test will cost a maximum of Tk4,500.
After inaugurating the programme, BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Sharfuddin Ahmed said, "If we can do early screening of pregnant mothers, then it is possible to reduce the burden on parents, society, and the country."
A newborn with autism or Down syndrome creates a lot of stress on the family. If we can screen the foetus with such abnormalities at the early stage of the pregnancy, then the family will get to make a decision on abortion or continue the pregnancy," he said.
Speakers at the event revealed that there are about 2.5 lakh children with Down syndrome in the country.
Down syndrome is a condition in which a child is born with an extra copy of their 21st chromosome. This causes physical and mental developmental delays and disabilities.
The number of children with Down syndrome in the country is increasing daily due to a lack of awareness.
Many babies die after birth because of congenital heart problems, which increases neonatal mortality and those who survive become a burden on the family and the country as mentally handicapped people.
