Researchers have claimed that a blood test that detects markers in DNA can accurately detect Down’s syndrome in fetuses. According to researchers, the new technique’s effectiveness to detect the disorder is much better than the conventional ones. The blood test needs to be used between 10 and 14 weeks of pregnancy.

The same test is also capable of detecting two other chromosomal abnormalities that are rarer than Down’s syndrome. The new technique has been developed by University of California San Francisco researchers.

For the study, the researchers examined results from 16,000 pregnant women. The technique worked brilliantly, as detected Down's syndrome in all 38 cases where the abnormality was present. Nine false positives were also produced by the new test, much better than the 854 detected using traditional screening methods.

The test works by isolating a small concentration of fetal DNA present in the bloodstreams of women carrying offspring. A polymerase chain reaction is linked to these molecules, which leads to production of the DNA. This opened doors for analysis of the genetic material.

Down's syndrome causes many medical disorders, including cognitive impairment. An extra copy of chromosome 21 causes the disorder. Humans have 23 sets of chromosomes that determine physical characteristics. Illness or disorders can also be caused by come mutations.

Details of the new test have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study has showed that the test is accurate in even low-risk women.

“Providers need to be attuned to patients' preferences and counsel them about the differences in prenatal screening and diagnostic testing options. Those women who do opt for cell-free DNA testing should be informed that it is highly accurate for Down syndrome”, said Dr. Mary Norton of the University of California, San Francisco.