• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2018

Nuchal translucency is an important indicator of an aneuploid fetus in prenatal diagnostics. Previously, only the presence of aneuploid could be confirmed by conventional karyotyping of fetuses with thick nuchal translucency. With the development of genetic diagnostic techniques, however, it has been reported that subtle variations not detectable by conventional karyo-typing might occur in cases of pathologic clinical syndrome in euploid fetuses. One of the newer, high-resolution genetic methods in the prenatal setting is chromosomal microarray. The possible association between nuchal translucency thickness with normal karyotype and submicroscopic chromosomal abnormalities detectable by microarray has been studied. How and when to apply microarray in clinical practice, however, is still debated. This article reviews the current studies on the clinical application of microarray in cases of increased nuchal translucency with normal karyotype for prenatal diagnosis.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2020

Purpose: To evaluate the additive value of prenatal chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in assessing increased nuchal translucency (NT) (≥3.5 mm) with normal karyotype and the possibility of detecting clinically significant genomic imbalance, based on specific indications. Materials and Methods: Invasive samples from 494 pregnancies with NT ≥3.5 mm, obtained from the Research Center of Fertility & Genetics of Hamchoon Women's Clinic between January 2019 and February 2020, were included in this study and CMA was performed in addition to a standard karyotype. Results: In total, 494 cases were subjected to both karyotype and CMA analyses. Among these, 199 cases of aneuploidy were excluded. CMA was performed on the remaining 295 cases (59.7%), which showed normal (231/295, 78.3%) or non-significant copy number variation (CNV), such as benign CNV or variants of uncertain clinical significance likely benign (53/295, 18.0%). Clinically significant CNVs were detected in 11 cases (11/295, 3.7%). Conclusion: Prenatal CMA resulted in a 3% to 4% higher CNV diagnosis rate in fetuses exhibiting increased NT (≥3.5 mm) without other ultrasound detected anomalies and normal karyotype. Therefore, we suggest using high resolution, non- targeting CMA to provide valuable additional information for prenatal diagnosis. Further, we recommend that a genetics specialist should be consulted to interpret the information appropriately and provide counseling and follow-up services after prenatal CMA.