Early Fetal Gender Determination Using Cell-Free Fetal DNA in Maternal Circulation
Abstract
ABSTRACTBackground: The presence of cell-free fetal DNA in the maternal circulation offers an alternative source of fetal genetic material for prenatal diagnosis.
Objective: To identify fetal gender in the first trimester by detection of sex determining region on human Y chromosome using cell-free fetal DNA.
Methods: A prospective study has been carried out at AL-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in cooperation with Forensic DNA Research and Training center at AL-Nahrain University from February to December 2014. The study included 78 individuals, sixty eight out of them pregnant women with gestational age between 7th and 11th weeks, 8 of them were excluded. So, pregnant women were sixty. Blood sample was collected from maternal plasma and DNA analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Results: Examinations of fetal DNA in maternal plasma were performed for 60 pregnant women. 37(97.36%) out of 38 pregnant women were gave male baby and 21(95.45%) out of 22 pregnant women were gave female baby. A considerable sensitivity (97.4%) and specificity (95.5%) were obtained, which was significant in the first trimester of pregnancy (P<0.001) giving the study a 96.7% accuracy.
Conclusion: Fetal gender can be determined in the first trimester with a high level of accuracy by detection of sex determining region on Y chromosome using cell-free fetal deoxyribonucleic acid.
Keywords: Cell-free fetal DNA, Fetal gender, Y-chromosome.
Iraqi Medical Journal Vol. 63, No. 1, January 2017; p.87-96.
Copyright (c) 2017 Iraqi Medical Journal
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