|
Genetics counseling Postnatal cytogenetics examination DNA examination FISH Prenatal diagnostics Other examinations Invasive
examinations and operations
Examination
offered in prenatal cytogenetic diagnostics Actions Institute
workers Home |
||
|
|
At present, the Medical Genetics has
evidently reached the greatest significance in the area of Gynecology and
Obstetrics, where it is now sharing a significant portion of the clinical work.
It has always been true that the greatest happiness in a family is bringing
up a healthy child. And this is exactly the goal the workers at our Institute
have been concentrating their efforts on. Only a short time ago, in case of
antenatal finding of a more serious type of congenital development defect or
hereditary illness, we were only being able to apply methods of so called
secondary prevention leading to abortion. At present, however, we are more
and more often experiencing situations, where it is possible to influence the
defective fetus development, or eventually, in case of genetic risk partners,
help achieve a healthy product of conception. The Olomouc Center of Prenatal Diagnostics
and Fetal Medicine belongs to one of the first in the Czech Republic. From
the very beginning, it has had to rely on good co-operation with ambulatory
gynecologists, which in just our case proved to be optimal. We have always
appreciated very much this mutual co-operation. It is possible to diagnose
only those pregnancy cases where the gynecologists have expressed suspicion
of abnormal course and a finding. Last year, the historically lowest
indicator of perinatal death rate – 5 per thousand - in the catchment area of
the Olomouc Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics was achieved. It is necessary
to attribute it to our mutual effort to take care of a genetically risky
family and a pregnant woman. In our republic, one of few in Europe, we
have succeeded in being able to reimburse three basic pregnancy screening
programs by health insurance companies - so called double or triple pregnant
woman’s blood serum test, three - stage ultrasound fetus examination and
goal-directed testing of fetus karyotype in pregnant women over 35 to 37
years old. On one hand, it is the maximum benefit for the couple expecting a
child, on the other hand there is a stress situation to be dealt with up to
the time when the result is known. The fact that, for example, in 2002, at
our workplace, 46 fetuses were prenatally confirmed as having serious health
affliction, justifies this concern. Our efforts are directed in three
directions: shifting the goal-directed prenatal diagnostics into the earliest
stage of pregnancy possible – into the 1st trimester if possible,
submitting the examination results as early as possible after invasive
intervention, so, for example, after amniocentesis we would be able to supply
the result within three days and finally making this diagnostics more
accurate using most modern equipment and procedures which will be mentioned
further on. Obviously, our work requires maintaining all principals of
medical ethics, which are especially relevant in genetics. This is the reason
for using our own software, which is not part of the overall computer network
of the institute. Since 2003, our institute has been a teaching
workplace of IPVZ, Prague. We would like to keep you up to date regarding new
developments and procedures in the examination area and also offer our, today
already traditional, refresher courses, which have become very popular. In conclusion, I would like to thank you
again for all your co-operation and we are looking forward to its
continuation in future years. Prof. Dr. Jiří Šantavý, Ph.D. |
|