Could Pap Smears Diagnose Ectopic Pregnancy, Blighted Ovum?
Study: Could Pap Smears Diagnose Ectopic Pregnancy, Blighted Ovum? Monday May 11, 2009 According to a study reported in Medscape, new tools for diagnosing ectopic pregnancy and blighted ovum could be in the future. According a preliminary study presented at a recent meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it may be possible to isolate fetal cells from cervical mucus samples taken during a first-trimester pap smear — and it looks like the count of fetal cells in the mucus samples might theoretically be able to distinguish normal pregnancies from abnormal pregnancies. The study is preliminary, of course, and the researchers in the article described the findings as being ‘proof of concept’ rather than even being at the point that a clinical trial could go forward. If these findings do turn out to hold water though, it sounds like this technique could have a lot of potential for launching new prenatal tes
Study: Could Pap Smears Diagnose Ectopic Pregnancy, Blighted Ovum? Monday May 11, 2009 According to a study reported in Medscape, new tools for diagnosing ectopic pregnancy and blighted ovum could be in the future. According a preliminary study presented at a recent meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it may be possible to isolate fetal cells from cervical mucus samples taken during a first-trimester pap smear — and it looks like the count of fetal cells in the mucus samples might theoretically be able to distinguish normal pregnancies from abnormal pregnancies. The study is preliminary, of course, and the researchers in the article described the findings as being ‘proof of concept’ rather than even being at the point that a clinical trial could go forward. If these findings do turn out to hold water though, it sounds like this technique could have a lot of potential for launching new prenatal tes
