Redcliffe Labs, a Noida-based startup, has come out with an comprehensive research study on prenatal screening for chromosomal anomalies. Led by Dr Sohini Sengupta, Medical Laboratory Director, Redcliffe Labs and a team of esteemed doctors, this collaborative effort took a period of four months and was aimed at addressing the lack of scientific data on antenatal risk assessment among Indian women.

The study was performed on a sample of 362 pregnant women for prenatal screening. Nine (2.48%) women out of 362 were screen positive for chromosomopathy.

The study focused on the significance of Maternal Dual Marker screening during the first trimester to predict the probability of a foetus being born with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down Syndrome, Edward Syndrome, and Patau Syndrome.

One of the key findings of this study is the importance of a detailed risk assessment using a combination of factors rather than relying solely on maternal age as a risk indicator. While it is widely believed that women above the age of 35 have an increased risk of giving birth to children with chromosomal abnormalities, the research conducted by Redcliffe reveals that age alone may not accurately reflect the true risk. 

Dr Sohini Sengupta said, "By collaborating with Roche Diagnostics India to utilise their advanced diagnostic instrument the cobas 8000,  and Elecsys PAPP-A & Elecsys free βhCG, we were able to obtain accurate data and generate valuable insights. We believe that this research will contribute to improved medical decision-making and patient outcomes across all genres."