Prenatal diagnosis Prenatal screening vs prenatal diagnosis Purpose What skin conditions can be diagnosed prenatally? Is determination of fetal sex important in prenatal diagnosis of skin conditions? Methods of prenatal diagnosis Potential complications Can treatment of the skin condition be given prior to birth?
Prenatal diagnosis is the identification of a medical condition before an infant is born. This may be undertaken during pregnancy, or prior to implantation of an embryo during in-vitro fertilisation.
Prenatal screening is a means of assessing if a fetus is at increased risk of an abnormality. Screening is routinely offered to all pregnant women in developed countries, and is performed during the first and second trimester (up to 26 weeks of gestation). Screening involves a fetal ultrasound and maternal blood tests. Abnormalities screened for are those considered to have significant morbidity/mortality.
Prenatal diagnosis is the determination of a specific medical condition using genetic testing, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. As with prenatal screening, prenatal diagnosis is only indicated for conditions associated with significant morbidity/mortality.
Prenatal diagnosis is performed for the following reasons:
Skin conditions suitable for prenatal diagnosis include:
The causative gene mutation of many other inherited skin conditions are known; however, prenatal testing should only be performed for disorders with high morbidity/mortality.
The sex of the fetus can be very important in prenatal diagnosis of inherited skin conditions. Incontinentia pigmenti is an X-linked dominant condition that is usually fatal in male fetuses, and affects females to varying degrees. X-linked ichthyosis results in skin disease in males; female carriers are unaffected or may develop asymptomatic corneal opacities.
The tests used for prenatal diagnosis are described in the table below.
Prenatal diagnosis of skin diseases |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Method |
Skin disorders tested for |
Timing |
Technique |
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis |
Severe ectodermal dysplasia |
3 days after in-vitro fertilisation |
Genetic testing of embryos after fertilisation. Embryos confirmed to be free of the disorder are implanted in the uterus. |
Chorionic villus sampling |
Weeks 10–13 of pregnancy |
Cells from placental villi are collected using a needle inserted either through the cervix or trans-abdominally under ultrasound guidance. Fetal DNA is extracted and analysed for a known genetic mutation. |
|
Amniocentesis |
From week 14 of pregnancy |
Fetal cells are collected from the amniotic fluid by a needle inserted trans-abdominally under ultrasound guidance. Fetal DNA is investigated for a known genetic mutation. |
|
Fetal skin biopsy |
Skin conditions with unknown genetic mutation |
From week 19 of pregnancy (once fetal skin adequately formed) |
Punch biopsy of fetal skin is performed under ultrasound guidance. The biopsy is examined by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. |
Maternal serum screening |
X-linked ichthyosis(identified by low levels of Ue3) |
During second trimester of pregnancy (weeks 14–26) |
Maternal serum levels of specific hormones and proteins are measured by a blood test to assess the risk of different conditions. |
Ultrasound |
Harlequin ichthyosis (suggested by echogenic amniotic fluid, joint and digital contractions plus facial dysmorphism) |
From 12 weeks of pregnancy onwards |
Trans-abdominal ultrasound performed to assist with diagnosis. Useful in identifying conditions with no known family history. |
The potential complications of prenatal diagnosis are specific to the technique used:
There is currently no means of treating inherited skin conditions prior to delivery of the infant. Further advances in fetal medicine may make this a possibility in the future.
