Tumor markers are proteins found in the blood or urine when cancer is present in the body, according to the American Cancer Society. Doctors order lab tests on patients' blood to test for the presence of tumor markers if some type of cancer is...
Spina Bifida Occulta is a group of conditions that affect the spinal column, which is made of small bones called vertebrae. Affecting 10 to 20 percent of people who are otherwise healthy, Spina Bifida Occulta is relatively common and may not...
Primary liver cancer is cancer that starts in the tissues of the liver. Cancer that has spread to the liver from another area of the body is called secondary liver cancer. According to MayoClinic.com, in its early stages, liver cancer does not...
Estriol levels are part of a normal prenatal screening schedule for birth defect risks. Coupled with measurement of alpha-fetoprotein, or AFP, human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, and inhibin-A, it can fairly reliably detect increased risk for...
While many pregnancies proceed through the nine months without a hitch, others are complicated by maternal or fetal disorders. Prenatal testing is done to prevent or treat complications that may impact the mother or baby. Some prenatal testing is...
The use of ultrasound to detect fetal anomalies has become standard in the U.S. Although the increase in diagnostic capability has benefited families in some ways, ultrasound and other diagnostic tools have their limitations. The pairing of...
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is a hormone that is produced by a developing embryo during pregnancy. HCG is also an important marker for certain tumors. However, it is not known if elevated levels of hCG cause tumor growth or are a result...
During the second trimester of pregnancy, women have the opportunity to have a blood test to screen for birth defects. This is called the maternal serum triple or quadruple screen. This test only involves drawing blood from the mother and does not...
Why some babies develop an omphalocele is not entirely understood. Consequently, there is no definite way to prevent one from occurring in your baby. That said, some research suggests that taking prenatal vitamins can significantly reduce your...
Cancer is caused by genetic mutations---which can be inherited or acquired over time---that lead to cells growing abnormally quickly (causing tumors) and developing the ability to invade other tissues. Because tumor cells are different than normal...
An omphalocele is a defect in the abdominal wall that allows the internal organs to protrude into the umbilical cord, sometimes covered by a membranous sac. If your child has an omphalocele, it will probably be diagnosed during a prenatal...
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, men are 70 percent less likely to see a doctor for health concerns compared to women and are 80 percent less likely to have a regular doctor. This reluctance to take care of...
A multiple pregnancy is defined by the March of Dimes as carrying more than one baby at the same time. Most pregnancies in the United States are singletons, with only one baby in utero. Approximately 3 percent of American births are multiple...
According to 2010 information from the American Liver Foundation, cancer that begins in the liver is less common in the United States than in other parts of the world, with approximately 21,000 cases diagnosed each year, but the number is...
Gastroschisis, an abnormal opening in the abdominal wall that allows the intestines to extrude from the body, occurs in around 1 in 5,000 births, the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (CHW) states. The opening usually occurs to the right of the...
Testicular cancer rates are rising, although researchers don't know exactly why. Researchers do know that certain risk factors increase the chance of developing testicular cancer. Most testicular cancer patients are white men between 20 and 40....
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is a hormone whose levels increase after a woman becomes pregnant. Cells in the developing placenta produce hCG during the first trimester. However, if you are not pregnant, elevated levels of hCG are...
Although an article published in the British Medical Journal states that 95 percent of multiple pregnancies are diagnosed before delivery, families are occasionally surprised by the appearance of two or more babies at the time of delivery. There...
Women concerned about the health of their babies have several options for screening and diagnostic tests. One common screening test is the AFP test, also called multiple marker screening or quadruple screening. This test, done at 15 to 20 weeks...
Parents often want reassurance that their child is normal before birth. Sometimes, they have specific concerns about genetic diseases that run in their families or that are related to advanced maternal age, such as Down syndrome. Fetal genetic...
Anencephaly is a rare birth disorder that affects only one in every 1,000 births. This condition is a result of a neural tube defect. Between the third and fourth weeks of pregnancy, the embryo's neural tube (a narrow opening) should close and...
Gastroschisis is a birth defect of the abdominal wall that occurs in 1 out of 5,000 births. A small hole in the abdominal wall, usually less than 2 inches long, extends through the skin, usually to the right of the umbilical cord, according to...
Germ cell tumors are uncommon neoplasms that develop from the primitive cells that give rise to eggs and sperm. These tumors most commonly develop in the ovaries and testicles but may occur anywhere in the body, including the brain. Germ cell...
Down syndrome, a congenital chromosomal disorder that causes physical anomalies and developmental delays, affects approximately 1 in 700 to 800 people, the Mayo Clinic reports. People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome number 21....
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is the pregnancy hormone. Your doctor may order one of two types of hCG tests. A qualitative hCG test determines if hCG is present in the blood and can confirm pregnancy. A quantitative hCG test, or beta hCG,...
The 16th week of pregnancy falls in the second trimester, which, according to Mayo Clinic, is the most enjoyable phase because the initial bodily changes have passed but your belly is not yet uncomfortably large. This is the time to plan that last...
CVS stands for chorionic villus sampling, which is a tissue test performed to detect and diagnose birth defects in unborn fetuses. If you're pregnant, your doctor might recommend a CVS if you have certain risk factors. Some potentially serious...
Pregnant women have many options for learning about the health of their unborn baby. AFP testing, also known by other names including multiple marker screening, assesses the chance for specific conditions in the baby. The first version of the...
Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that results in the malformation of the vertebrae that cover the spinal cord. This condition can cause life-threatening complications, which can make surgery or medications necessary. Learning about spina...