PSA for anyone pregnant

[kenny]

Norfolk and Norwich Hospital joins 'world-leading' baby study

The programme checks for 200 rare illnesses with the hope of speeding up diagnosis and treatment.

www.bbc.com

Now they can do genetic testing on umbilical cord blood.
This can identify each baby's odds of developing future illnesses, some of which benefit from (and may even be cured by) early diagnosis and treatment.
Great news because being unaware and waiting for symptoms may be too late.

This seems like something that every newborn should get.
I don't know the cost but I do know genetic testing has come way down in price.
For example:
Bibi is a Yellow Sided Green Cheek Conure.
Both sexes look identical, so (unless you find an egg in a single bird's cage) genetic testing is the only way to be sure of the sex.
I've heard the price of that testing has now fallen to just $21.
You pluck a couple feathers from the chest and mail them to the lab yourself.
Results in 3-5 days.
No needles, no vet bill.

 

[Demon]

Norfolk and Norwich Hospital joins 'world-leading' baby study

The programme checks for 200 rare illnesses with the hope of speeding up diagnosis and treatment.

www.bbc.com

Now they can do genetic testing on umbilical cord blood.
This can identify each baby's odds of developing future illnesses, some of which benefit from (and may even be cured by) early diagnosis and treatment.
Great news because being unaware and waiting for symptoms may be too late.

This seems like something that every newborn should get.
I don't know the cost but I do know genetic testing has come way down in price.
For example:
Bibi is a Yellow Sided Green Cheek Conure.
Both sexes look identical, so (unless you find an egg in a single bird's cage) genetic testing is the only way to be sure of the sex.
I've heard the price of that testing has now fallen to just $21.
You pluck a couple feathers from the chest and mail them to the lab yourself.
Results in 3-5 days.
No needles, no vet bill.

My brother gave me his Nanday (sp?) Conure who was named Pete - until he laid an egg, and then she was named Peach.

 

[kenny]

LOL
Back in the 80s my male Cockatiel "Beaker" laid an egg at age 10.
Hard to believe, because standard grey-variety Cockatiels are easy to visually sex.
At least I didn't have to change (its?) name.

 

[Bron357]

The down side of any genetic testing is that “if” you were inclined say towards cancer or early heart disease etc you might find it impossible to obtain life insurance AND health insurers may decline acceptance of covering you and/or limit your care access / increase your premiums.

 

[kenny]

The down side of any genetic testing is that “if” you were inclined say towards cancer or early heart disease etc you might find it impossible to obtain life insurance AND health insurers may decline acceptance of covering you and/or limit your care access / increase your premiums.

True, but only if insurance companies get your data.

I can't believe that one single person willingly gave their data to companies like 23 & me.

But I would still want to know everything I possibly could about my baby's future.
It just feels like the responsible thing to do for your child.

Perhaps someday they'll be able to do all that testing early enough in the pregnancy so a woman can make a better informed decision about ending the pregnancy.
Good, bad, right or wrong, a quick search indicates a large majority of Down Syndrome pregnancies are ended.

 

[Lookinagain]

True, but only if insurance companies get your data.

Very little can be kept private these days. Everything gets hacked.

 

[kenny]

Very little can be kept private these days. Everything gets hacked.

True, though I'd not say "everything".
Each of us can react to this very sad reality in 2 ways:

1. Throw up your hands and just give up.
Never even bother trying to protect your data in the future.
Join all social media, and download zillions of apps.
Pay no attention to any harm that comes to you.

2. CONSTANTLY resist giving your data out every single time anyone or any company wants it.
Don't join, or quit, as much social media and apps as you can.
IOW, Fight back!

We all have a choice.
I choose #2.

 

[Lookinagain]

True.
Each of us can react to this reality 2 ways:

1. Just give up. Throw up your hands, and give up.
Don't bother reducing your future exposure to data hacking.

2. CONSTANTLY resist giving your data out every single time anyone or any company wants it.
IOW, Fight back!

We all have a choice.
I choose #2.

I do as well, to a certain degree. There are times when it just isn't practical. Doctors seem to put everything into a portal these days. I don't use the "smart functions" on electronics or put my location services on, etc. But again, it's hard to avoid at times. And medical information seems to be one of them.