If You Are Worried About 'Goryeong Childbirth'... Get a Chromosome Test

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] Recently, as the average age of first marriage has risen to 31.1 years for women and 33.4 years for men, the proportion of 'advanced maternal age' pregnancies and births among those aged 35 and older has also increased. According to Statistics Korea's '2021 Birth and Death Statistics (Provisional),' the proportion of mothers aged 35 and older was 35%, up 1.2% from 33.8% two years ago.

The higher the age at first childbirth, the greater the likelihood of infertility, difficult labor, or miscarriage, and the risk of congenital abnormalities caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus may also increase. For mothers aged 35 and older or newlywed couples planning to have children, chromosomal testing to identify chromosomal abnormalities can be helpful.

Humans have a total of 46 chromosomes, consisting of 22 pairs (44) of autosomes and 1 pair (2) of sex chromosomes. Chromosomal abnormalities refer to numerical or structural abnormalities of chromosomes. Numerical abnormalities occur when the number of chromosomes is either too few or too many, causing conditions such as Down syndrome and Turner syndrome. Structural abnormalities occur when the number of chromosomes is normal, but there are structural changes such as duplications or deletions within the chromosomes.

Such chromosomal abnormalities can be identified through chromosomal testing, which is broadly divided into pre-pregnancy chromosomal testing and prenatal fetal chromosomal testing. When a fetus has chromosomal abnormalities, it often accompanies disabilities or multiple malformations, which can pose risks to both mother and child during childbirth. Therefore, it is advisable to identify the presence or absence of chromosomal abnormalities through chromosomal testing before pregnancy and childbirth, prepare in advance, and establish countermeasures.

Pre-pregnancy chromosomal testing is conducted for couples preparing for pregnancy, while prenatal fetal chromosomal testing is performed on pregnant women. Additionally, couples experiencing infertility or recurrent miscarriage, those with a history of giving birth to children with chromosomal abnormalities, and mothers aged 35 and older may be candidates for testing. Couples who have experienced infertility or repeated miscarriages can confirm whether they carry structural chromosomal abnormalities through chromosomal testing, which helps in establishing an appropriate pregnancy plan. Also, mothers with a history of stillbirth can determine whether the mutation occurred during fetal chromosomal division or if it is a chromosomal abnormality inherited from the parents.

Dr. I Mina, a specialist in diagnostic laboratory medicine at GC Green Cross Medical Foundation, said, “Due to social changes leading to higher marriage and childbirth ages, the number of older mothers and infertile couples is increasing.” She added, “When chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus are confirmed through amniocentesis, the parents’ chromosomal results can help predict clinical significance.” She further stated, “For infertile couples, chromosomal testing can help identify abnormalities and assist in establishing an appropriate pregnancy plan.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.