Prenatal Genetic Testing

The Maternal Fetal Diagnostic Program provides extensive prenatal genetic testing to detect fetal abnormalities including
Tay-Sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, congenital heart defects and spina bifida.

In addition, Hutzel Women’s Hospital is one of the only hospitals in Michigan to perform FIRST Trimester Screening, an early screening for Down syndrome and trisomy 18. FIRST stands for First trimester Integrated Risk Screening for Trisomy. The test gives physicians and patients valuable information about the health of the fetus as early as 12 weeks gestation.

The test is performed using a combination of ultrasound and blood tests. Research shows the test detects over 80 percent of pregnancies with Down syndrome and 90 percent of pregnancies with trisomy 18.

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