[[Image:Stage23 bf2.jpg|right|350px]]

=Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling=

==INTRODUCTION==

[[Image:Placental_circulation.gif|right|450px]]
Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling (PUBS) is an invasive pre-natal diagnostic procedure performed during the second trimester (between week 18 to 22) where a sample of fetal blood is extracted from the umbilical vein in the umbilical cord using a fine needle via the abdomen of the mother. The extracted blood can then be used to detect certain anomalies including chromosome abnormalities such as Down Syndrome, blood disorders such as Fetal Haemolytic Disease and intrauterine infection, growth retardation, and some birth defects as well as metabolic disorders. PUBS is often used when other diagnostic tests such as Ultrasound, Amniocentesis and Chorionic Villus Sampling do not yield conclusive results. This pre-natal diagnostic technique is also used to deliver certain therapies such as the administration of medicine and transfusion of blood directly to the fetus.

Although it is a very useful diagnostic technique, there are many complications associated with the procedure from haemorrhage and fetal bradycardia to premature birth and fetal death. The mortality rate associated directly to procedural factors has been found to be approximately 1 to 2 times out of every 100 procedures. The long list of associated risks have been found to be related to procedural factors such as duration and the number of punctures as well as individual circumstances of the patient for example gestational age.

Despite the risks involved, the one of the benefits of PUBS over that of other pre-natal diagnostic techniques such as Amniocentesis and Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS), is that genetic information also known as Karyotypes is available much sooner after the procedure. This is especially important in cases requiring rapid diagnosis and/or management.

{|border="1px" cellspacing="1" align="center" cellpadding="5"
|+ '''Advantages and Disadvantages of Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Cord Sampling'''
! Advantages !! Disadvantages
|-
|
*It is almost 100% accurate in detecting the presence of genetic and chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome and Edwards Syndrome.

*The blood sample extracted via PUBS is available for different types of analysis thus allowing for detection of a wide range of defects.

*It allows for specialized information about the health of the fetus to be obtained.

*It checks for and allows for treatment of serve fetal anemia or other blood problems such as Rh(Rhesus factor)disease.

*Also checks for fetal infections.

*The PUBS technique can also be used to administer certain medication directly to the fetus.

*Results are available relatively soon after procedure has taken place.
|
*It is one of the pre-natal diagnostic tests that is recognized as posing a slightly higher risk of potential risks such as miscarriage (1%-2%), infection, and temporary slowing of fetal heartbeat.

*Less commonly available than Amniocentesis and Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS), and fewer doctors are experienced in the procedure.

*Procedure is performed later in the pregnancy in comparison to other pre-natal diagnostic techniques such as Amniocentesis and CVS.

*Unable to detect the severity of disorders detected by technique.

*An extremely expensive procedure.
|-
|}

==HISTORY==

[[File:Timeline PUBS.png|thumb|right|Timeline of Key Events In the Development of Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling|350px]]
Obtaining fetal blood during pregnancy for pre-natal diagnosis has been possible since 1964 however the method used, fetoscopy was extremely limited and thus only employed in a very few cases. Yet with the introduction of the modern day PUBS using ultrasound to obtain fetal blood samples in 1982 by Fernand Daffos has made the procedure simpler and relatively safe in comparison to before. The development of this safe and effective technique evolved over many years and required the minds of many world class scientist and doctors to make PUBS the pre-natal diagnostic technique it is today.

===Timeline of Key Events In The Development Of Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling (PUBS)===

{|border="1px" cellspacing="1" align="center" cellpadding="5"
|+
! Year !! Key developments
|-
|style="width:10%"|'''1964'''
|History of the Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling begins with the description of a hysterotomy with extra uterine umbilical transfusion of a hydropic fetus by V. J. Freda and S. K. Adamson
|-
|'''1972'''
|C. Valenti uses a 5mm needlescope which he modified from an 18 French pediatric cystoscope and which he called an endoamnioscope and ultrasound guidance to obtain a fetal biopsy specimen.
|-
|'''1974'''
|J.E Patrick, T.B Perry and R.A.H Kinch give a detailed description of the percutaneous placement of a 1.7mm fetoscope
|-
|'''1980'''
|C.H. Rodeck reports on 133 fetoscopic procedures performed using the fetal blood sampling technique.
|-
|'''1981'''
|Again C.H. Rodeck reports on his experiences while performing a fetoscopically guided intravascular transfusion between 23 to 25 weeks’ of gestation
|-
|'''1982'''
|J. Band, J.E. Bock and D. Trolle recognize the limitations of fetoscopy and thus turn and perform an ultrasound guided percutaneous transfusion into the fetal hepatic vein at 30 weeks of gestation.
|-
|'''1983'''
|A team under F. Daffos in France publish a description of fetal blood sampling by ultrasound guided puncture of the umbilical vein, at the point the cord inserts into the placental with the use of a 20mm gauge needle.
|-
|'''1984'''
|K. Nicolaides develops single operator method for Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling
|-
|'''1985'''
|J.C. Hobbin and a group at Yale describe this technique and call the procedure Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling (PUBS)
|-
|'''1988'''
|C. H Rodeck at the Charlotte's Maternity Hospital in London first described fetal blood sampling from the intrahepatic portion of the umbilical vein in the fetus as an alternative procedure where the cord needling was unsuccessful.
|-
|}
<ref>A short History of Amniocentesis, Fetoscopy and Chorionic Villus Sampling, Dr. Joseph Woo. http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/amniocentesis.html</ref>

===Key Scientist and Doctors in Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling===

====Fernand Daffos====

Fernand Daffos and a team of doctors such as François Forestier and Martine Capella-Pavlovsky in 1982 developed a new and improved technique for the collection of fetal blood samples. The new and improved technique for collection of pure samples of fetal blood were obtained from the umbilical cord more precisely the large vein using a twenty-gauge spinal needle that was guided by real time ultrasound images. Fetal blood was collected from the cord approximately 2.5cm from the connection to the placenta into a syringe which is attached to the need where 1 to 2 millilitres of blood is collected. Fernand Daffos’s procedure was a dramatic improvement in fetal blood collection compare to other methods for prenatal diagnosis of disease. Thus he is can be deemed the father of modern day pubs.

====Professor Stuart Campbell====
[[Image:Professor_Stuart_Campbell.jpg|left|200px]]
In 1982 Professor Campbell aside from looking at fetal malformation using real time ultrasound started systematic investigation in many other areas, pioneering work in areas such as ovarian cancer screening with ultrasound, Doppler fetal and utero-placental blood flow in many pre-natal pathological conditions. Stuart Campbell also investigated ovarian follicular developments, routine ultrasound population screening and umbilical and placental blood sampling. Yet most importantly Professor Stuart Campbell introduced the concept of actually screening for the later development of pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine growth retardation basing on early uteroplacental waveforms.

[[Image:Kypros_Nicolaides.jpg‎|right|125px]]

====Kypros Nicolaides====

Kypros Nicolaides was one of the first doctors that discarded the fetoscope and practiced all blood sampling procedures by extracting blood from the placental cord insertion which was then termed Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling . Like stated above the technique of PUBS or Cordocentsis was initially pioneered in France in 1983 by Fernand Daffos however, it was Kypros Nicolaides who actually developed the single operator method. This allowed him and many other doctors to study many aspects of fetal physiology and pathophysiology such as fetal blood gases. The single operator method developed also allowed Nicolaides to investigate the correlations between fetal blood gases and Doppler, fetal metabolism, endocrinology, immunology, haematology, biochemistry in diabetic pregnancies.

==PROCEDURE==

===When is Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling (PUBS) Performed?===

PUBS is an invasive procedure and as a result, it carries with it a relatively high risk of complications. Therefore, it is generally to be used in the case of high-risk pregnancies.
A high-risk pregnancy is classified as such due to various factors that indicate a significantly increased likelihood of genetic defects. These may include:

* An advanced maternal age of 35 and over

* A previous pregnancy affected with chromosomal disorder

* Family history of genetic disorders (E.g. monogenic disease carrier status or balanced chromosomal translocation in a parent, history of X-linked or inborn metabolic disorders etc.)

* Abnormal results identified on a previously performed non-invasive procedure, such as ultrasound or maternal serum biochemistry screening
<ref><pubmed>18292841</pubmed></ref>

===Steps of the Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Sampling Procedure===

Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Sampling (PUBS) is the performed by the advancement of a needle within a ultrasound visual field to a targeted puncture site and consists of three fundamental steps.

====Step 1 - Imaging====

An advanced imaging ultrasound is used to determine the location of where the umbilical cord inserts into the placenta. This ultrasound image is then used throughout the procedure in order to guide a thin needle through the abdomen and uterine wall of the mother and into the umbilical vein running through the cord.

====Step 2 - Retrieval of Fetal Blood Sample====

The needle is then inserted into the cord to retrieve a small sample of fetal blood. There are two main routes for the retrieval of fetal blood. The method used to perform the procedure is determined by the position of the placenta in the uterus and point of connection with the umbilical cord. The ideal sample site for PUBS is located at the root of the umbilical cord due to its stable fixed position which is less susceptible to disturbances caused by fetal movement compared to the free loops of the cord.

{| border="1" style="text-align:center"
|-
|
| '''Placenta Anterior'''
| '''Placenta Posterior'''
|-
| '''Description'''
| Placenta attached to anterior wall of uterus - the needle is inserted straight into the umbilical cord without penetrating the amnion and amniotic cavity
| Placenta located on posterior wall of uterus - the needle must travel through the amniotic sac to reach the umbilical cord. This may cause some temporary bleeding and cramps
|-
| '''Diagram'''
| [[Image:Placenta Anterior.jpg|Placenta Anterior|center|400px]]
| [[Image:Placenta Posterior.jpg|Placenta Posterior|center|400px]]
|}

There are two techniques that can be used when obtaining the sample: freehand and needle-guided. The choice of technique is dependent on a number of factors including the location of the cord root and the preferences of the physician performing the procedure.

'''1. Freehand -''' allows lateral readjustment of needle direction once within the uterus. A transducer is used to navigate the needle to the specific sample site and is the more preferred technique due to the increased range of movement

'''2. Needle-guided -''' involves the insertion of a separate needle straight into the targeted puncture site with the aid of the transducer, which forms a fixed passage through with a second smaller needle passes to retrieve the fetal blood. Despite permitting precise alignment of the needle tract with the vessel, the range of movement is limited to a single plane of travel
<ref><pubmed>8739583</pubmed></ref>
[[Image:Doppler image of needle-guided technique.jpg|thumb|Doppler image of needle-guided technique<ref>Henderson, J, Weiner, C, Glob. libr. women's med.,(ISSN: 1756-2228) 2008; DOI 10.3843/GLOWM.10212</ref>|right]]

It is also important to note when performing PUBS, that if the mother is Rh–negative, Rh Immune-Globulin (RhIG) is administered to the mother in order to prevent the development of Rh incompatibility and further sensitization.

====Step 3 - Sample Analysis====

The fetal blood sample is sent to a lab where it is screened for genetic defects and other disorders. Prior to this, in order to confirm the sample obtained is fetal blood, the Kleihauer—Betke test performed. <ref><pubmed>16530195</pubmed></ref> The results for the test are usually available within 72 hours however under some circumstances, may take a few weeks to obtain the results. In the event of diagnosis, implementation of the most suitable procedure for management of the condition occurs or in extreme cases, the pregnancy is terminated.

[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcxmx7_normal-pubs-procedure_creation/ Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling Procedure Animation]

==ASSOCIATED RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS==

As mentioned earlier, PUBS is an invasive diagnostic procedure which carries a number of risks and complications which are associated with a number of factors from procedure-related, experience of the staff performing the procedure to gestational age. However the risks involved in each case varies according to the indications of the procedure. For example, fetuses which are structurally abnormal or had growth deficiencies were found to be more susceptible to the associated risks and complications of PUBS.<ref><pubmed>9793976</pubmed></ref> Some of the main risks include:

*'''Transient bleeding of the umbilical cord''' at the puncture site is common and occurs in approximately 20% of cases. Often the bleeding spontaneously stops within a short time period (within 1 minute) while in a small number of cases, continued bleeding may prove fatal especially for those with blood disorders i.e. alloimune thrombocytopenia

*'''Transient fetal bradycardia -''' where the heart rate of the fetus falls below 100bpm is also a common complication (about 8% of cases) has been found to occur during or immediately after PUBS was performed. This occurs due to the puncture causing changes in the circulation and/or inducing reflexes and release of substances within the fetal circulation. In most cases, short term changes in fetal heart rate during PUBS has not reported long term fetal injury except for when there are underlying fetal disorders. Manual compression through the maternal abdomen is currently the preferred method of fetus revival <ref>Henderson, J, Weiner, C, Glob. libr. women's med.,(ISSN: 1756-2228) 2008; DOI 10.3843/GLOWM.10212</ref>

*'''Failure to obtain a sample''' is also a complication occurring in a small number of cases which may require further PUBS procedures that could potentially increase the likelihood of fetal distress and preterm labour

*'''Preterm labour''' may be induced upon which the medical team overseeing the procedure must be prepared to perform an immediate emergency caesarean delivery

*'''Fetal loss''' reported to occur in less than 2% of cases is attributed to a number of factors including procedural time, gestational age (those earlier in pregnancy due to the size of the fetus are believed to be at higher risk of procedure-related injury), underlying medical conditions, expertise of the operator, pregnancy complications and fetal movement <ref><pubmed>16530195</pubmed></ref>

==DISORDERS AND ABNORMALITIES FOUND BY PUBS==

Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling, also known as Cordocentesis, as stated above is a pre-natal diagnostic test that is usually preformed to detect abnormalities such as Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome), Trisomy 18 (Edwards Disease) and blood disorders for example Fetal Haemolytic Disease. However, PUBS may generally be performed to help diagnose any of the concerns listed below:

*Fetal anemia

*Malfunction of the fetus

*Isoimmunisation

*Fetal platelet count of the mother

*Fetal infections like rubella or toxoplasmosis

*Respiratory illnesses

*Congenital heart defects

However one major disadvantage when comparing PUBS to other major testing methods for example Amniocentesis, is that PUBS does not help test for neural tube defects such as Spina Bifida

{|border="1px" cellspacing="1" align="center" cellpadding="5"
|+ '''Examples Of The Disorders PUBS Can Detect'''
! Disorder !! Type of Disorder !! Cause !! Comments !! Frequency !! Picture
|-
|Trisomy 21
|Genetic Disorder
|The cause of Trisomy 21 is caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome.
|Trisomy 21 also known as Down syndrome is associated with either major or minor impairments of cognitive ability and physical growth with a particular set of facial characteristics. Suffers tend to have a lower than average cognitive ability which often ranges from mild to moderate disabilities. The average IQ of a child with Down Syndrome is approximately 50.
|1 for every 800 to 1,000 births
|[[File:Down Syndrome.png|right|200 px]]
|-
|Trisomy 18
|Genetic Disorder
|Trisomy 18 is caused by the presence of three as opposed to two copies of chromosome 18 in a fetus or infant’s cell.
|Also known as Edwards Disease or Trisomy E have increase incidence as the mother maternal age increases. The syndromes has an extremely low survival rate and this is a direct result of heart abnormalities, kidney malformations as well as other internal organ disorders caused by the syndrome itself. It is also the second most common autosomal trisomy after trisomy 21 also know as Down Syndrome that actually carries to term
|1 in 3,000 live births
|[[File:Edwards Disease.jpg|right|200 px]]
|-
|Congenital Heart Defect
|Structural Defect
|Not Known
|CHD is a defect in the structure of the heart and great vessels which is present at birth. There are many different type of CHD but most either obstruct blood flow within the heart or the vessels close by or it causes blood to flow through the heart in an abnormal pattern. It is one of the most common birth defect and is the leading cause of birth defect related deaths. Most CHDs don’t need treatment, but some are so complex they require medication or surgery.
|Approximately 9 in 1000 births.
|[[File:Congenital Heart Disease.jpg|right|200 px]]
|-
|Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS)
|Infection – Viral
|Congenital Rubella Syndrome can occur in a developing fetus of a pregnant woman who has contracted rubella during the term of her pregnancy
| The classic triad for congenital rubella syndrome consist of:

*Sensorineural deafness

*Eye abnormalities like cataracts

*Congenital heart disease

However other manifestation of CRS may also include:

*Mental retardation

*Microcephaly or small head size

*Eye defects

*Low birth weight
|
*If infection occurs 0–28 days before conception there is a 43% chance the infant will be affected

*If infection occurs 0–12 weeks after conception, there is a 51% chance the infant will be affected.

*If the infection occurs 13–26 weeks after conception there is a 23% chance the infant will be affected by the disease

* However infants are not generally affected if rubella is contracted during the third trimester, or 26–40 weeks after conception.

*Yet in the end it depends on whether or not the mother is infected by the rubella virus.
|[[File:Rubella.jpg|right|200 px]]
|-
|Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus
|Alloimmune condition
|It develops in a fetus when IgG molecules (a type of antibody) produced by the mother passes through the placenta and subsequently begins attacking and breaking down the Red Blood Cells in fetal circulation.
|The fetus can then develop problems such as reticulocytosis and anemia as a result of this disease. The severity of Haemolytic Disease ranges from mild to very severe, and can also lead to fetal death following heart failure (hydrops fetalis). When the disease is moderate or severe, many erythroblasts are present in the fetal blood and thus can be referred to as erythroblastosis fetalis
|10.2 cases per 10,000 total births
|[[File:RBC.jpg|center|200 px]]
|-
|}

==REASONS FOR AND AGAINST THE USE OF PERCUTANEOUS UMBILICAL BLOOD SAMPLING==

The reason for individuals to test or not to test using PUBS actually vary between each and every person with the individual's physicians also a playing a major role in the decision.

Performing this pre-natal diagnostic test and thus confirming diagnoses provide the parent or parents with certain opportunities that would not be available if the test was not pursued. These include:

* Pursue potential medical intervention that may exist
* Begin planning for a child with special needs
* Addressing anticipated lifestyle changes
* Most importantly make a decision about whether or not to carry the child to term

However some individuals may choose not to pursue PUBS or any other additional pre-natal diagnostic tests for various reasons such as:

* The parent or parents are comfortable with result regardless of the result
* Personal, moral or religious values of the individual which prevents a decision about carrying the child to term from being a viable option
* Some parents choose not to allow any testing that poses any risk of harming the developing baby

Yet it is important to discuss the risk and benefits of testing thoroughly with the individual’s healthcare professional or physician. The physician should help the individual evaluate whether the benefits from the procedure's results are able to outweigh any risks associated with the procedure.

==THE FUTURE OF PERCUTANEOUS UMBILICAL CORD SAMPLING==

The use of PUBS as a pre-natal diagnostic tool has provided the opportunity to extend knowledge on the fetus by contributing to the understanding of human fetal physiology, metabolism and disease. However, like any other invasive diagnostic technique the procedure does carry some risks. As PUBS has only been available for two decades it can be said that it is one of the relatively new diagnostic techniques, andthe current associated research is mainly associated with finding non-invasive methods of fetal genetic diagnosis eliminating the risks associated with invasive procedures. The next section in this page will discuss the current research on PUBS.

===Fetal Cell in Maternal Blood===

All nucleated fetal cells from the same individual contain identical genetic information. As a result of this finding, research efforts are currently focused on noninvasive method of fetal genetic diagnosis. An attractive potential population are the rare fetal that cross the placenta and circulate within the mother, The fetal cell types currently being studied include the trophoblast and nucleated erthyrocyte<ref><pubmed> 2333281</pubmed></ref>. Genetic diagnoses that have already been made successfully in fetal cells isolated from maternal blood include both Down syndrome and Edwards Disease, Klinefelter syndrome and Rhesus D genotype<ref><pubmed>7485357</pubmed></ref>. On the basis of these encouraging preliminary results, a multicenter clinical evaluation designed to evaluate cytogenetic accuracy if fetal cells in maternal blood in comparison with that of percutaneous umbilical blood sampling. Results of this trial have shown a 78% detection rate for at least one aneuploid cell in maternal blood when the fetus has aneuploidy<ref><pubmed> 12124698</pubmed></ref>. The major limitation in the clinical use of this technique appear to be the very small number of fetal cells present in most maternal blood samples.

===Cell-Free Fetal DNA in Maternal Plasma and Serum===

In 1997, Lo and associates first describe the circulation of large amounts of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma and serum samples. A multitude of potential clinical application for the non-invasive diagnosis of the complication of pregnancy from this DNA has since been reported. These applications have largely focused on the quantitation of male fetal DNA in maternal plasma or serum samples and its associated increase in conditions such as fetal trisomy 21, preeclampsia, invasive placenta and preterm labor. In addition, qualitative detection of uniquely fetal DNA sequences in maternal plasma or serum has facilitated the non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of Rhesus D genotype, myotonic dystrophy and achondroplasia. It is likely that in the near future, non invasive diagnosis of fetal Rhesus D genotype will be preformed exclusively through the analysis of fetal DNA in maternal plasma or serum. The presence of amplified Rh D product in a sample from an Rh D-negative woman can come only from an Rh D – positive fetus.

==PERCUTANEOUS UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD SAMPLING (PUBS) IN COMPARISON WITH OTHER DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES==

PUBS is usually performed after non-invasive procedures such as ultrasound and biochemical markers, have indicated the possibility of genetic disorders. Because, these tests generally produce highly sensitive results, they are not always reliable at giving an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, an invasive technique such as PUBS is employed to in an attempt to provide more conclusive and accurate information.<ref><pubmed>8907774</pubmed></ref>

PUBS may also be used when other invasive pre-natal diagnostic tests including chorionic villi sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis do not yield conclusive results. These methods are similar in that they involve the examination of cell samples obtained directly from the developing fetal structures.

{| border=1
|-bgcolour=grey
! !! PUBS !! Chorionic Villi Sampling !! Amniocentesis
|-
| risk of complications || align=left | 1-2% || 2% || 0.5-1%
|-
| recommended time period for testing || align=left | 18-23 weeks || 8-11 weeks || 16-18 weeks
|-
| available diagnostic analyses ||align=left | karyotype and DNA analysis, biochemical studies, detection of blood disorders and intrauterine infections. unable to detect neural tube defects. || karyotype and DNA analysis, enzyme studies. least accurate in cytogenic analysis. || karyotype and DNA analysis, biochemical studies
|-
| time taken for samples to be cultured || align=left | 72 hours || 9-10 days || 10-11 days
|}
<ref><pubmed>18292841</pubmed></ref>
<ref><pubmed>20193481</pubmed></ref>

==USEFUL LINKS==

'''Search Bookshelf''' [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=Books&cmd=search&term=Percutaneous%20Umbilical%20Cord%20Sampling Percutaeous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling]

'''Search Pubmed Now:''' [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=search&term=Percutaneous%20Umbilical%20Cord%20Sampling Percutaeous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling]

'''Wikipedia'''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percutaneous_umbilical_cord_blood_sampling Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling]

==GLOSSARY==

'''Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia:''' A disease that affects fetuses and newborns. It involves genetic differences between the fetus and mother that may result in the expression of certain antigens by fetal platelets, not expressed by the mother.

'''Amniocentesis:''' The surgical insertion of a hollow needle through the abdominal wall and into the uterus of a pregnant female to obtain amniotic fluid especially to examine the fetal chromosomes for an abnormality and for the determination of sex.

'''Amnion:''' An extraembryonic membrane ectoderm and extraembryonic mesoderm in origin and forms the innermost fetal membrane, produces amniotic fluid.

'''Amniotic Cavity:''' The fluid-filled (amniotic fluid) extraembryonic coelom (cavity) formed initially by epiblast and then ectoderm and surrounding extraembryonic mesoderm. In humans, it forms the innermost fetal membrane, produces amniotic fluid expanding to fuse with the chorionic membrane during week 8 of development.

'''Amnion Sac:''' The amnion sac is the sac that is formed by the amnion, containing the amniotic fluid.

'''Anaemia:''' A condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, in haemoglobin, or in total volume.

'''Choronic Villi Sampling:''' The biopsy of the chorion frondosum through the abdominal wall or by way of the vagina and uterine cervix at 10 to 12 weeks of gestation to obtain fetal cells for the prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities - abbreviation CVS.

'''Chromosomal Translocation:''' A chromosome translocation is a chromosome abnormality caused by rearrangement of parts between non homologous chromosomes. A gene fusion may be created when the translocation joins two otherwise separated genes, the occurrence of which is common in cancer.

'''Congenital:''' Anything mainly diseases that are acquired during development in the uterus and not through heredity for example congenital syphilis.

'''Cordocentesis:''' The withdrawal of a sample of fetal blood from the umbilical cord by transabdominal insertion of a needle guided by ultrasound.

'''Cytogenetic:''' The branch of biology that deals with the study of heredity and variation by the methods of both cytology and genetics.

'''Cytogenic Analysis:''' The branch of genetics devoted to cellular constituents concerned in heredity, i.e. chromosomes.

'''Down syndrome:''' A congenital condition characterized by moderate to severe mental retardation, upward slanting eyes usually with epicanthic folds, a broad short skull, broad hands with short fingers, decreased muscle tone, and by trisomy of the human chromosome numbered 21 - called also trisomy 21.

'''Edwards Disease:''' A congenital condition that is characterized especially by mental retardation and by craniofacial, cardiac, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary abnormalities, is caused by trisomy of the human chromosome numbered 18, and is typically fatal especially within the first year of life.

'''Endocrinology:''' A science dealing with the endocrine glands.

'''Extra Uterine:''' Extrauterine means situated or occurring outside the uterus.

'''Fetal Bradycardia:''' An abnormally slow fetal heart rate, usually below 100 beats/min.

'''Fetal Haemolytic Disease:''' An alloimmune condition that develops in a fetus, when the IgG molecules produced by the mother pass through the placenta.

'''Fetoscopy:''' The examination of the pregnant uterus by means of a fiber-optic tube.

'''Haemorrhage:''' A copious discharge of blood from the blood vessels.

'''Hydropic:''' Characterized by swelling and taking up of fluid-used of a type of cellular degeneration.

'''Hysterotomy:''' A surgical incision of the uterus.

'''Intrauterine:''' Intrauterine means situated in, used in, or occurring within the uterus.

'''Isoimmunisation:''' The production by an individual of antibodies against constituents of the tissues of another individual of the same species (as when transfused with blood from one belonging to a different blood group).

'''Karyotype:''' The chromosomal characteristics of a cell as well as the chromosomes themselves or a representation of them.

'''Monogenetic Disease:''' An inherited disease which is controlled by a single pair of genes.

'''Placenta:''' The vascular organ in mammals except monotremes and marsupials that unites the fetus to the maternal uterus and mediates its metabolic exchanges through a more or less intimate association of uterine mucosal with chorionic and usually allantoic tissues permitting exchange of material by diffusion between the maternal and fetal vascular systems but without direct contact between maternal and fetal blood and typically involving the interlocking of finger like vascular chorionic villi with corresponding modified areas of the uterine mucosa.

'''Pre-Eclampsia:''' A serious condition developing in late pregnancy that is characterized by a sudden rise in blood pressure, excessive weight gain, generalized edema, severe headache, and visual disturbances and that may result in eclampsia if untreated.

'''Rhesus factor (Rh):''' A genetically determined protein on the red blood cells of some people that is one of the substances used to classify human blood as to compatibility for transfusion and that when present in a fetus but not in the mother causes a serious immunogenic reaction in which the mother produces antibodies that cross the placenta and attack the red blood cells of the fetus.

'''Rh Immune - Globulin:''' A specific immune globulin derived from human blood plasma containing antibody to the erythrocyte factor Rh0(D); used to prevent Rh-sensitization of Rh-negative females and thus prevents haemolytic anaemia of the fetus in subsequent pregnancies.

'''Rubella:''' Also known as the German measles in a pregnant woman may cause developmental anomalies in the fetus when occurring during the first trimester.

'''Spina Bifida:''' A neural tube defect marked by congenital cleft of the spinal column usually with hernial protrusion of the meninges and sometimes the spinal cord.

'''Toxoplasmosis:''' Infection with or disease that invades the tissues and may seriously damage the central nervous system especially of infants.

'''Umbilical Cord:''' (placental cord) The placental cord is the structure connecting the embryo/fetus to the placenta. It is initially extra-embryonic mesoderm forming the connecting stalk within which the placental blood vessels (arteries and veins) form. In human placental cords the placental blood vessels are initially paired, later in development only a single placental vein remains with a pair of placental arteries. This structure also contains the allantois, an extension from the hindgut cloaca then urogenital sinus. Blood collected from the placental cord following delivery is a source of cord blood stem cells.

'''Umbilical Vein:''' The vein that passes through the umbilical cord to the fetus and returns the oxygenated and nutrient blood from the placenta to the fetus.

'''Ultrasound:''' A non-invasive technique for visualizing and prenatal diagnosis of several features of development including: follicles in the ovaries, the gestational sac, fetus in the uterus, fetal parameters, and the placenta. The technique uses high-frequency sound waves that are reflected off internal structures.

'''Uteroplacental:''' Uteroplacental means of or relating to the uterus and the placenta for example uteroplacental circulation.

==REFERENCES==

<references/>
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Z3241780: /* Peer review */

==Peer review==

Group 6 - very informative, well done. The page could do with more images and tables to engage the reader's attention a little more and also allow for some information to be compared and contrasted. Nice effort with the hand drawn pictures. You could also include current research on the uses of the procedure in relation to pregnancy and fetal development as well as the future of the procedure. Although it is not your subject matter it would be helpful for you to briefly define what percutaneous umbilical blood sampling is and emphasise the risks that the method of sample collection are strongly associated with the decision to use this procedure. Aside from that good effort --z3241780 14:25, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

'''GROUP 6: Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein'''

I liked the overall scientific feel of the information you provided. I liked how you went into a bit of the molecular biology involved, as well as pictures to explain what exactly is alpha-beta protein. you guys showed a good understanding of the topic, although I noticed an error in the contents section where you put all the other headings under the 'introduction'. I liked the drawn pictures, it was a nice effort and was very informatively labelled. Ways to improve is probably add some tables to there isn't as much text and to simplify things, and also it can make it more interesting than it is already. More pictures in the abnormalities would have been good, images of spina bifida are definately eye catching and interesting to know about. The tables as pictures were a little hard to see without clicking on them but yes, good organisation, great job!
--[[User:Z3224500|z3224500]] 13:31, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

To tell you the truth I didn’t find anything wrong with this assignment page. There is a lot of information but that can be expected from an informative web page. Yet the best way to make it look less is just throw some pictures into the mix. I think that your page was the only page that didn’t have any spelling mistakes so good work in that department and keep it up. I sometimes thought in some areas that the language was a bit easy to read and this can be both an advantage or a disadvantage depending on how Mark Hill but as a precaution just add a bit more scientific data. I don’t think it will hurt. I felt that in some place maybe a table would better suit the information presented but that just me. I also found the introduction had things that could be covered in sections below but I’m not sure if that was intentionally done. The best way to reduce the amount of words used to describe is to dot point or tabulate coming back to my old point but apart from that I found the assignment very informative and interesting which really isn’t easy when you have all those word, most people would have rambled on. So hats off to you there. The flow of the page is disrupted but you can fix that up by just moving bits and pieces around the page seeing where it fits best. A really good assignment. Well Done Guys!!!!

--[[User:Z3252635|z3252635]] 13:24, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Hi guys!

Good job with the referencing and copyright information on your pictures, including the student-drawn ones. It would be nice to see descriptions of the pictures in that caption-area, just to make it more clear what part of your writing they were relating to. I love that you included a link to a video in your intro; it made me want to watch and find out more. I would suggest moving your other links for further reading to before your glossary though, just so they don’t get lost in the page – once people hit the glossary I find they tend to think that’s the end and stop reading (at least I tend to). Other than that, it says “ babys’ ” instead of “baby’s” in the Maternal Serum Alpha Protein as a Screening Test section first paragraph; but other than that I didn’t spot much else in the way of typos, and I found your language quite easy to read. Other suggestions would just be maybe to break up the text a bit, perhaps with some more pictures, just to make the page more eye-catching. Perhaps something with colour, if you can find it. Overall, though, well done!--[[User:Z3252833|z3252833]] 12:46, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Group 6

Group 6, I think the structure of your page is great, there's enough subheadings to break it into clear sections, but maybe more point form could be used to break it up a little. The information is very detailed so it shows lots of research but its written in a clear enough way to be understandable, and it has a good scientific feel. The student drawn diagrams, especially the one of the analysis process, is great and helps to explain the information really well.
What would improve this project: Maybe some more references, and you could also put in a section of the historic background of the procedure with some of the information that's in the introduction.

--[[User:Z3292208|z3292208]] 08:00, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein

This is a great project filled with lots of information. It is clearly well researched and the organisation of the page itself is sensible in the logical order of sub headingsand the flow of ideas.

I don't mind seeing a picture aligned to the left :P. Maybe you could use figures the break up the text a bit more? Other than that great work guys, this is excellent and gives a very 'scienfitic feeling'presentation of this topic

--[[User:Z3254753|z3254753]] 17:26, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Group 6 = Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein

The project is very organised and the pictures included were very related to the text. I really liked the link too because that not only showed you did alot of research for this project but also made it outstanding. Definetly provide me with better understanding About MSAFP.

How you can improve = There are alot of words may be try to break them down into point form but other than that everything looks good --[[User:Z3305561|Navneet Ahuja]] 12:16, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Hi Group 6, I like how you have organised the page, its easy to follow and the layout was great. The pictures helped me with understanding the sections, although maybe they could be a bit bigger. I did learn alot about Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein from your page, Thanks!

Improvements: Under the heading MSAFP testing and the community, there is a spelling mistake. liklihood should be likelihood, and servey should be survey. The page also looks a bit like an essay, maybe for some parts you could do a few tables to make it easier to follow

--[[User:Z3265772|z3265772]] 03:45, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

I enjoyed reading this project, the layout was overall great and i liked how you put in a link to a video. It was very understandable and i was able to follow what was said throughout reading it all. It was scientific enough but easy for anyone to read.

Improvements - the pictures were a little small, so maybe enlarge them a bit. Also, maybe break the procedure section into the different steps that are taken.

--[[User:Z3291079|z3291079]] 10:20, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

There is A LOT of information. Although it is very well researched (to that I commend you), I personally think you need to break it up a bit. Maybe align the pictures differently; they are great pictures they just seem to hang there as a side thought. Maybe also include a table or flow chart for the procedure because it is quite hard to follow. Your glossary is adequate although your referencing may fall short in the screening test section. Great video to start off with!! Good work guys!! --[[User:Z3252083|z3252083]] 12:45, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

{{Template:Projects10MHtalk}}

--[[User:S8600021|Mark Hill]] 00:56, 31 August 2010 (UTC) OK guys, its now time to get going with this. You need to have significant content added to all sections on your project page before this weeks lab. Still no related images or student drawn figure here.

===You need to have this updated before this weeks lab when I will be reviewing all projects.===

--[[User:S8600021|Mark Hill]] 04:52, 23 August 2010 (UTC)OK so there is some discussion here. I need the major subheadings to be added before this weeks lab and there should be some thought to the content within each section. Still no related images here.

--[[User:S8600021|Mark Hill]] 22:56, 11 August 2010 (UTC) Well group 6 where is your work that should have been done before this week's Lab?

Hey guys, ive only really done some light background research about alpha-fetaprotein testing via wiki/google/journal articles hehe :P

Anyway, i forgot to save the links i got for the journal articles ive already printed off, but i’ll stick up their titles which can be found easily, and i’ll basically summarise the info we can use from them anyway and stick it up so we can sift through it all.

The journal articles that i remembered to save links to are as follows:

First-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein as a marker for fetal chromosomal disorders - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pd.1970141012/abstract

----

--[[User:S8600021|Mark Hill]] 04:54, 23 August 2010 (UTC) Here is the Pubmed link for the above paper http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7534926 This is how to cite it using the current website (look at the page in edit mode):

<pubmed>7534926</pubmed>

And this is how to reference it in the body of your project page.<ref><pubmed>7534926</pubmed></ref>

to appear in a reference list

<references/>

----

Amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein is not a useful biological marker of pregnancy outcome - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/%28SICI%291097-0223%28199911%2919:11%3C1031::AID-PD684%3E3.0.CO;2-7/abstract

The value of early third-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein determination - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pd.1970100308/abstract

Reduced fetal hepatic alpha-fetoprotein levels in Down' s syndrome - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pd.1970101108/abstract

Very low versus undetectable maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein values and fetal death - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pd.1970070605/abstract

I don’t know what you guys had in mind for splitting the work etc, but as it is, im quite happy to just get info, and slowly just add info the main page as it goes and let it slowly evolve from constant editing of stuff etc. And if anyone had clashes of ideas etc, then just fix/change a section and stick it up as well and we can all just edit passages as we see fit after some discussion hehe

so you guys know what other articles im looking at, so we don’t really double up on info, are as follows:
The effectiveness of prenatal serum biomarker screening for neural tube defects in 2nd trimester pregnant women

Msaf values in type ½ diabetic patients

2nd trim. Msaf elevation and its association with adverse maternal/fetal outcome

Afp in the early neonatal period

Structure and function of afp

ps - i most likely will just play around with headings etc on the main page...and if i put info up there in point form its not really the main text, just a quick point of ref. for what info i may or may not stick up etc as well as just general format testing haha ^_^

--[[User:Z3186755|3186755]] 15:56, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Hi everyone, yeh I think its a good idea to compile information and research before the next lab and go through
it together before we designate certain areas to one another. I'll try to get through some of the articles that
are up to get an idea of how we are going to divide the work up. Possible categories:

1) Introduction to how it is carried out, history, developements.
2) How the test works, what is used or tested.
3) What the test is looking for, diseases, syndromes, dissorders.
4) Any problems or flaws the test has, effectiveness, contempory issues.

We should discuss more in depth during the lab, put up any more ideas for subheadings that we should use.

Thanks

--[[User:Z3290040|3290040]] 12:31, 17 August 2010 (UTC)

Hey guys,

I’m still in the research stage with this assignment, I think we really need to come up with a specific outline or structure for the assignment so the work can be divided up soon.

This structure is similar to the previous one mentioned above:introduction and background information on prenatal testing, what is alpha-fetoprotein how it is made by the foetus etc, the diseases that could be tested, history of maternal alpha- fetoprotein testing, accuracy etc.I don’t think there is much information on the procedure or ethical issues on this topic as they are not so relevant.

Here are two links
The first one is some general research done on rats. I’m not sure if you guys want to use it?!!

www.reproduction-online.org/cgi/reprint/48/1/1.pdf

reducing invasive testing by using maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein testing. We could use it to compare some benefits of a non-invasive test.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM199404213301603

--[[User:Z3254433|z3254433]] 11:28, 17 August 2010 (UTC)

Hey guys,

I think right now we have come up with the basic lay out of the site, I suggest that we split up the parts in our next lab class and if we come across anything that are specific for our assignment and think it's worthwhile to put in the site as well we can do that as we go along. These are some of the articles that I have been looking at:

MATERNAL SERUM ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN MEASUREMENT: A SCREENING TEST FOR DOWN SYNDROME -
http://storage0.nun.unsw.edu.au/cgi-bin/Data/db.cgi?db=fulltexttest&uid=default&view_records=1&url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_origin=SFX&_method=citationSearch&_volkey=01406736%23323%23926&_version=1&md5=b96bddefb297298958f38399471d082b&Address=http://www.sciencedi

MATERNAL SERUM α-FETOPROTEIN—A MARKER OF FETAL APLASTIC CRISIS DURING INTRAUTERINE HUMAN PARVOVIRUS INFECTION -
http://storage0.nun.unsw.edu.au/cgi-bin/Data/db.cgi?db=fulltexttest&uid=default&view_records=1&url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_origin=SFX&_method=citationSearch&_volkey=01406736%23329%23433&_version=1&md5=e7e29728e20dd0ed4956e51eb02c2128&Address=http://www.sciencedi

PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF SPINA BIFIDA AND ANENCEPHALY BY MATERNAL SERUM-ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN MEASUREMENT : A Controlled Study -
http://storage0.nun.unsw.edu.au/cgi-bin/Data/db.cgi?db=fulltexttest&uid=default&view_records=1&url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_origin=SFX&_method=citationSearch&_volkey=01406736%23303%23765&_version=1&md5=bc4a8ecfac6aea060269fd3858638b59&Address=http://www.sciencedi

Alpha-fetoprotein Information, chemical composition, quantition, Standardization of AFP assay etc. - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-3083.1978.tb03896.x/pdf

Overview - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B83W2-4TX314K-5&_user=1975841&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2008&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000004218&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=1975841&md5=a7bfedcf9c80ddcf5994434da0c82603&searchtype=a

--[[User:Z3216889|3216889]] 10:56, 18 August 2010 (UTC)

hey guys,

i just put up a very rough and incomplete outline of the subheading that we can have for our assignment, so if you have any subheading you would like to add or edit those that i have put up please do so.

also if anyone has any relevant picture that we can use please post them up.

cheers.

--[[User:Z3254433|z3254433]] 23:55, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

hey, i just stuck up some basic background stuff on afp that is prety much just a dump of info so we can use it how we see fit :) hopefully will be able to add some other stuffs under the diff headings etc ^_^

--[[User:Z3186755|3186755]] 14:16, 25 August 2010 (UTC)

hey guys, just sending you a pictures via email that i drew but i think it might breach copyright so if you can edit it so that its not that would be great, also I'm uploading other pictures that i have drawn on our site. if you find any pictures that aren't copyright please post them up because i can't seem to find any!!!

--[[User:Z3254433|z3254433]] 05:43, 9 September 2010 (UTC)

ok I have chuck in the spina bifida and anencephaly detection in there, I would have the Down Syndrome detection up soon as well. I will help find pictures of thoses disorders as well and have them up as soon as possible. (Note to self: remember to edit the AFP in pregnancy so it doesn't overlap with the disorder section)

--[[User:Z3216889|3216889]] 13:52, 12 September 2010 (UTC)----

just upload the picture you emailed to us :) it should be fine hehe
anyway, just added extra parts :)
--[[User:Z3186755|3186755]] 16:00, 12 September 2010 (UTC)

hey guys, did 3290040 respond to any of the emails you sent? --[[User:Z3186755|3186755]] 11:56, 13 September 2010 (UTC)

hey,
i got no response,
Q) why won't these pics upload on our page???
[[File:Encephalocele_of_a_newborn.JPG|thumb]]
[[File:Down_Syndrome_Karyotype.png|thumb]]

--[[User:Z3254433|z3254433]] 11:18, 14 September 2010 (UTC)

ummm not sure? maybe try and just upload onto the main page and see if its like that i guess :S the other pictures seem to work fine on the main page
--[[User:Z3186755|3186755]] 15:50, 14 September 2010 (UTC)

so i redid all the references since no one knew how to edit them properly. However, i couldnt really find the proper references for the following:

Green 1995. See n. 6, p. 232

Iles and Gath 1993. See n. 30, p. 411

so i'll leave it here in discussion to be cleared up and take it off the main page hehe

--[[User:Z3186755|3186755]] 13:51, 15 September 2010 (UTC)

Talk:2010 Group Project 5

2010-09-22T14:14:52Z

Z3241780:

==Peer review==

Group 5 - in terms of content, it is informative. Well done. In terms of the page aesthetics, images of fetal fibronectin itself would be useful at the start, and images especially in the Procedure section. The information is there however the use of images throughout the page and tabulating some of your information would make it more engaging and easier to understand. Remember to add a Historical background on the procedure even if it's short seeing as it is still a relatively 'new' procedure. The current research section could be rephrased more to fit into the flow of your page as a whole. Judging by the last sentence, it seems as though it has been put together by simply copy and pasting snippets from different journals. It would be more beneficial if the information given in the journals was analysed, interpreted and then presented while still referencing. This goes for the procedure also. Try to find information, understand it yourself and then 'explain' it to your audience. You will find that the page will be more cohesive as a result. Another point would be to expand the subheadings so that they clearly identify the subject matter being covered under that section as at the moment they are quite vague. Some points which could also be addressed: future of the procedure? The glossary could also be expanded. Good effort. --z3241780 14:14, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

'''GROUP 5: Fetal Fibronectin'''

Group 5 the first thing I have to say about your project page that I think will really help you guy out is that you need put more pictures. If I’m not mistaken the hand drawn picture at the very top is the only picture on the whole page. Pictures help captivate the audience and makes your intended audience want to read on to find out or relate the picture to the information present. They also help break up the page and allow the reader some processing time while reading the information of Fetal fibronectin. The Information you have presented is pretty much flawless being the perfect amount of scientific language, by this I mean that your assignment is assessable for pretty much anyone but more importantly the information was informative. The Dot points you have used many of the section also help us understand the project better. Last but not least you have missed out on history of the pre-natal diagnostic technique which Mark Hill said was part of his marking scheme, and after reading what other people have posted on your discussion page I notice that I’m not the only one to make this comment. Apart from that nice work!!!!

--[[User:Z3252635|z3252635]] 13:23, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

You have a nice and simple page, concise and to the point. Nice drawn image at the beginning of the page to draw attention I thought it was very well done. I found that the current research was good, showed some good effort with good references to backup your info about the case studies and statistics. Ways that could be improved is the use of images, so people could understand the topic better, and some tables may help to make the information more interesting. I guess more detail and elaborate more on the history. Also i wasn't sure if there were any risks involved and how common this test is done. References were good, with a nice glossary. nice effort!
--[[User:Z3224500|z3224500]] 13:12, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Simple, good organisation and what I like about it is that they referenced a lot of their text to backup their information which i thought was very scientific. The drawn picture was nice, but overall the page needed more images and pictures to understand the topic better. A table may have been a good choice to convey some information to make it more interesting, but it is still simple so not a very big deal there. So overall, more images, and I think more longer information under some headings would provide more extensive knowledge on the topic. References are very good, with an alright glossary.
Hi guys!

I’m guessing that the fetal fibronectin diagram at the top of the page is your student drawn diagram. Nice job on it. You might want to more clearly indicate that it is student drawn, though, and you should probably include the copyright statement. Also, you might want to think about adding some more pictures to your page to break up the text a little bit and make the page more eye-catching and easy to look at. I have to say that I really liked the way that you’ve set out the section on the test results. It was very easy to read. If I had another suggestion, it would be to move your glossary up to before the references – I almost didn’t notice you had a glossary hidden there. If someone wasn’t really looking, they might not spot it. Other than that, nice job!--[[User:Z3252833|z3252833]] 12:45, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

--Group 4 Fetal Fibronectin

Although this page had not as much detail put into it compared to previous pages, I found it much easier to read and absorb information. We must take into account that they have used a variety of sources so I am speculating that this is the more important information after researching this topic. So taking this into account I believe that this page is informative on the topic using a variety of sources, but hasn’t gone too in depth. The only advice I can give is to add some pictures or diagrams, even reproduce the information in a table to make it more interesting. Thanks guys you have done a great job.

--[[User:Z3290040|3290040]] 10:19, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Group 5

Group 5, the set out of your page is really good, its broken up into sections and there's lots of point form throughout which makes it really clear and easy to understand, except for current research.

What could be improved: More pictures would help break it up and make it more interesting, maybe a picture of the actual procedure would be good. Some more detail could be added to give it a more scientific aspect like for example in the procedure section, and maybe a section on the historic background, I think thats part of the marking criteria. Overall i think you've done a great job but just maybe add some more detail to give it a more scientific feel.

--[[User:Z3292208|z3292208]] 08:21, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Fetal Fibronectin

Hey guys good work with this assignment. The first thing I notice was there are not as many pictures as there are in other pages. However, what was there was relevant and easily readable.I think some more detail could be given in a few sections would help convey a more technical side of this subject matter.

--[[User:Z3254753|z3254753]] 17:20, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Group 5 = I really like how all the parts are broken down into points which made it easy to follow except for the "current research" . It is very structured and the picture looks great.

What could be improved is adding more pictures and break down the current research into bullet points but other than that its great --[[User:Z3305561|Navneet Ahuja]] 12:26, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Group 5: Foetal fibronectin
What I found good about this assignment was that all the information was presented in a clear and organized manner, and did appear to have a teaching element to the project. There was a great amount of research and referencing done although it did lack a bit of a “scientific feel”.

What could be improved?
Some extra pictures or tables could be added and also the glossary could probably be placed above the references so that it is easier to refer to it instead of having to scroll all the way down.

--[[User:Z3254433|z3254433]] 07:20, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Hi Group 5, I liked the fact that everything is referenced, it made me feel like you have really researched what you are putting on here. Your page is very informative and i learnt alot about fetal fibronectin. i liked your student drawn diagram!

improvements: definitely extra pictures. If you cant find any that you can use, start emailing the companies, this is how i got most of our permissions, as i couldnt find any with permissions. as a last resort try wiki, all of their pictures arent copyright protected. Also, probably best to go through the criteria for the page, youve missed the history altogether. Here it is for you:
project outline:

1. Intro

2. historic background

3. current associated research

4. simplified description of technique

5. student drawn figure or animation

6. reference list

7. glossary

8. external links

--[[User:Z3265772|z3265772]] 03:46, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Reading through the information is quite easy, the headings and sub-headings makes it very clear to follow. Having questions as sub-headings makes it very user friendly to read and understand the fetal fibronectin test. However the history and development of the test is lacking. Also is the test specific for pre-mature birth detection only? please specify. The introduction also is a bit confusing where it say "Fetal fibronectin is a protein based plasma that acts as a form of glue attaching the amniotic sac to the uterine wall. Fetal fibronectin is commonly present between 22 to 35 weeks of pregnancy. It is released into the upper vagina towards the onset of labour. If the test finds fFN between this period, the woman will have a chance of going into labour" - what period are u talking about? when I read it, it seems to be prefering to 22-35 weeks of pregnancy as it state before, but it was mention that it was commonly to find fFN during that time, does that mean that it is common for women to have pre-mature births?

What could be improve would be providing a brief history of this test and fix up the introduction so it won't be confusing to the reader.

--[[User:Z3216889|3216889]] 13:53, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

----

{{Template:Projects10MHtalk}}

--[[User:S8600021|Mark Hill]] 00:55, 31 August 2010 (UTC) There is no content on your project page and you are not making appropriate progress. I expect you all at this weeks lab and an explanation as to why no one is adding content to your project page.

===You need to have this updated before this weeks lab when I will be reviewing all projects.===

--[[User:S8600021|Mark Hill]] 04:44, 23 August 2010 (UTC) This is no where not good enough, I will need to talk to you in this weeks lab. Your group has not searched the scientific literature, found information about fibronectin or related images. Unless everyone here gets going on this project you will not be completed in time.

Dez--[[User:Z3318446|Seow Liew]] 09:10, 9 August 2010 (UTC)

Hi,members,i have split the work up to 3 different constituent parts and each of us will get to pick 1

and do it.In addition,i have also roughly split the work up to 3 stages, which is:

a)collecting the information from different sources,

b)grouping the information,and

c)put what we get on group page.

Note:

-you just need to put your name next to the capitalised heading,(e.g PART C-Dez)to indicate you are up to that part.

-PART C is picked by me, so,options left are PART A and B only.

-You can always add in additional info, but i think it`s better we discuss it first when we figure or find it out(the ones you cant decide if they`re your part),so that we can discussion whose part it belongs to and who should do it, to kinda maintain the flow of the content.

-i`m aware that PART B is relatively short,i was outta ideas.Well, the point of PART B i make it mainly emphasizes on info related to how this test is carried out and 3rd party`s voices on this test.

The 3 different parts that i have split up are as following:

PART A - Jade

Introduction:

-what does this technique rely on?(fibronectin)

-Stuff about fn ,fibronectin,like the time or stage it forms during pregnancy.

-what does fn do in mom`s tummy during pregnancy.

-what kind of other abnormalities can this test predict? (mainly used for the prediction of preterm birth as far as i know)

-signs and events of preterm birth in mom`s tummy if there`s a high possibility the mom`s having a

preterm birth,like,cervix dilation , fn leaks outta vagina,etc.

-the relationship of fn and prediction of preterm birth.

(like comparison of fn between pregnant woman who are not at risk of preterm birth and those who are,etc)

PART B-Mary

-how does the test work? like,steps and procedures involve.

3rd party`s voices:

-what do the public doctors , pregnant woman say about this technique?-interview thing, vids( how this

test is carried out)

-related images.

PART C-Dez

-who should take the test?

-What will the results tell about risk of delivering early?

-diagnostic accuracy.

-side effects.

-advantages of knowing the prediction.

-treatments for those who tested with positive result.

One last thing,

i think our primary source would be pubmed,of course there`re others too, but then the info isnt as

extensive and specific as pubmed,so go to it,look for the related journals and extract only details that

you need.

It`d be great if we could find more images and videos related to the info we get,by doing so,we could

make the page less lengthy and readers understand it better.

Looking forward to your comments,because i could be wrong.

--[[User:Z3291079|z3291079]] 12:21, 16 August 2010 (UTC)
We should probably add something about the history of fetal f. Fit it in with part B?

heey , sorry for the late reply.Yea, it fits in with part B , sounds reasonable.
Do you have any idea what it could be? and post some links on here , if you have some with you.
--[[User:Z3318446|Seow Liew]] 06:57, 19 August 2010 (UTC)

Hey guys I found a really good article about that defines what fetal fibronectin is and how it is used to determine preterm labour. I Don't know if I can copy paste because of the copyright and I forgot how to make a link so the website is http://www.ranzcog.edu.au/publications/statements/C-obs26.pdf , It's got bits and pieces of everyones parts if You guys want to look through it and pick out what would be of help to you. Also I found a video. It's that doctor that goes onto the Dr Phil show but it's pretty good. It was one of few that I could find soo look at it and tell me what you think. Its website is http://www.5min.com/Video/Learn-about-Fetal-Fibronectin-Test-114223707. If you can find any videos just post them up because I don't think there are many around. Also I've found articles that question the tests ability to undermine the occurrence of the pre-term birth. I don't know if this is significant enough to add in as we are essentially talking about it's role in identifying whether or not the mother is going to have a pre-term birth or not instead of whether the doctor can stop it. Tell me what you think. should I add it in or not? You can find the article at http://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/1996/05000/The_Preterm_Prediction_Study__Fetal_Fibronectin.1.aspx. --[[User:Z3252083|Mary Nicolas]] 10:09, 18 August 2010 (UTC)

I think it is significant enough as it is an issue around this technique.I`d say add it in.
--[[User:Z3318446|Seow Liew]] 07:12, 19 August 2010 (UTC)

Yeah add this in cos you can say how it is a good technique but is not the best etc., etc. This could cover the topic of the reliability of this technique which we can look through. Some additional info i guess. --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 03:02, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

Mary, you have one more part to do , which is the history of fetal fibronectin.( Like what inspired the Doc came up with this technique and is this technique a modified version of some technique, and of course it`d be great if you could find stuff like when the first time this technique was put to use, how was it and talk a little bit about the following tests,and important people involved.)
--[[User:Z3318446|Seow Liew]] 06:57, 19 August 2010 (UTC)

Hey guys, I've found an article that is a good reference describing the test...it's a good outline of what we need to know. I've found a site about fFN that may help, nothing major though. it also has a few references of articles on there that we could research. I'm going to post the subheadings up on the main page of what i think, let me know what you think but you guys can go ahead and change it :) - Jade

http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1149.asp

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2582650/?tool=pubmed --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 03:18, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

Oh and if we can find anything about further research about fFN, about improving it or something then we should add that in --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 03:33, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

I will do a drawing of fetal fibronectin in the womb, there's a great picture on the video that mary posted, so i will use that as a guide --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 11:17, 1 September 2010 (UTC)

http://www.southernhealth.org.au/icms_docs/1197_Fetal_fibronectin_Quikcheck_in_threatened_peterm_labour.pdf Just some more info to help --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 13:55, 1 September 2010 (UTC)

Hey guys, kinda getting worried, we should really get a move on with this assignment lol. I'm going to draw a picture today and put it up. And hopefully finish my part of this assignment. Any feedback? --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 00:16, 7 September 2010 (UTC)

Another helpful site guys - http://www.ffntest.com/index.html --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 02:13, 8 September 2010 (UTC)

hey guys don't worry about me I'm doing my work I just want to do it all before I put it up. The test results and procedure have been really easy to put together but the history is quite difficult as there is not demarcating date or person that used it first up... if that makes sense. I'll do it but I dont think I'm going to come up with a timeline like some of the other groups. --[[User:Z3252083|Mary Nicolas]] 04:06, 13 September 2010 (UTC)

@Mary:it`s alright ,Mary.Put up what you think is makes sense,we can then discuss on it and edit in the remaining days.
@Jade:i realise you didn`t reference your work.So, i reckon you reference your work as soon as you can.--[[User:Z3318446|Seow Liew]] 10:27, 13 September 2010 (UTC)

We also need more images. It's hard to find non-copyrighted pictures for fFN. i'll draw another picture if really needed. --[[User:Z3291079|Jade Seenandan]] 12:38, 13 September 2010 (UTC)