Status quo and developments of prenatal diagnosis. TAB-Fokus

In Germany, prenatal diagnostic procedures have been part of medical pregnancy care for 40 years. Since then, the number of available methods has increased significantly. By summer 2019, the German Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) will examine whether non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPTs) will become a benefit provided and reimbursed by the statutory health insurance scheme (GKV). NIPTs can detect certain genetic variations (e. g. trisomy 13, 18 or 21) of the foetus in the maternal blood.
The availability of low-risk NIPTs might lead to genetic examinations of the foetus becoming the norm. Thus, fundamental questions about prenatal diagnosis are raised with a new urgency, e. g. how discrimination against people with disabilities can be avoided without calling into question the right to a self-determined desire to have children.
The debate that seems to be necessary for society as a whole could be initiated and characterised by parliamentary activities.