Posts in:November, 2015

How to Treat Thyroid Disease in Pregnant Women

Posted November 24, 2015 by Stacy Bolzenius

Hyperthyroidism affects one in every 500 pregnancies, while hypothyroidism affects three to five of every 1,000 pregnancies, according to data from the NIH, making it a significant women’s health concern. Because these diseases are relatively common and can be severe, all OB/GYNs need to remain up-to-date on current thyroid disease diagnosis and treatment practices for pregnant mothers. Diagnosing Thyroid Diseases in Pregnant Mothers Thyroid diseases are diagnosed through a combination of a patient’s medical history, symptoms, physical exams and blood tests (TSH, T3, T4 Continue reading…

Using Cell-Free DNA Analysis to Test for Fetal Aneuploidy

Posted November 10, 2015 by Stacy Bolzenius

Screenings for fetal aneuploidy have seen some significant advances in recent years. Fetal aneuploidy occurs when there is an abnormal number of chromosomes present, rather than the usual 23 pairs. One of the most common types of fetal aneuploidy is trisomy, where there are three copies of a chromosome instead of two, such as Tisomy 21, also known as Down Syndrome. Routine screenings for several trisomies include ultrasounds and blood tests in the first trimester, but conventional prenatal diagnosis is determined via chorionic villus sampling or Continue reading…