The following is an excerpt.
New prenatal blood tests for genetic abnormalities such as Down syndrome are reshaping care for expectant mothers, but their rapid rollout has raised fears that poorly understood results could lead to confusion among patients and doctors managing high-risk pregnancies.
Four companies, including SequenomInc. SQNM +7.24% and a unit of gene-sequencing firm Illumina Inc.,ILMN +1.20% are vying for the new market for the tests, which examine traces of fetal DNA in the mother’s bloodstream. The market has grown rapidly since the tests were first introduced in late 2011—with Sequenom alone topping 61,000 tests in 2012. The industry expects that at current rates it will run hundreds of thousands of tests this year, and many doctors believe they could fast become the standard of care for pregnant women.
View the original article here: Tough Calls on Prenatal Tests
