Prenatal Screening

Excerpt

Historically, pregnancy was a very tenuous part of a woman's life because of the high mortality rate associated with gestation. In the early 1900s, maternal mortality was 6 to 9 out of 1000 live births, and 100 per 1000 live-born infants died within the first 12 months of life. In 2000, maternal mortality declined to less than 0.1 out of 1000 live births, and infant mortality declined to 7 out of 1000 live births. Improvements in nutrition and advances in clinical medicine are key factors in the decline in mortality. Today, prevention of mortality is not the only goal but also the prevention of morbidity. Prenatal screening helps practitioners understand the physical needs of a gestating mother to prevent both morbidity and mortality.