BIOL 2301 Study Guide - Chorionic Villus Sampling, Liver Biopsy, Neural Tube Defect
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John t. hansen and john r. sladek jr. About this publication | how to cite | source citation | Research advances in the past 20 years have enabled the diagnosis and treatment of medical problems in the fetus before birth. Fetal research has revealed ways to detect congenital malformations and genetic diseases. Procedures such as ultrasound, amniocentesis (removal and analysis of amniotic fluid) and fetal heart rate monitoring are now widely used. It is also possible to give the unborn child blood transfusions and medication, and to even perform surgery to correct malformations in utero (in the uterus). Because of these research advances, the fetus has gained the status of patient. A related, but different, type of research involving the fetus is fetal tissue research, in which tissues from the dead fetus are studied; tissues are obtained from spontaneous and induced abortions. Fetal cells are valuable to medical researchers because they have unique physiological characteristics.
