A less invasive test for Down’s syndrome has led to a rise in the number of women opting to be tested and an increase in the number choosing to keep a baby with the condition, a new trial has shown.
The present NHS testing for the condition, which involves a needle inserted into the womb, is not taken up by many women because it carries a one in 200 chance of miscarriage.
Researchers offering women a non-invasive blood test, which has proved to be highly accurate, found that 6 per cent of women given a positive result after the invasive test alone continued with their pregnancy. In contrast, 30 per cent of those given a positive result after the non-invasive test — confirmed by the