Prenatal therapy
The main field of application of prenatal therapy is in the provision of medications. These can be given indirectly through the mother ingesting them or by injection into the amniotic fluid. They can also be administered directly by injection into an umbilical blood vessel. Medications include thyroid gland hormones against hypothyroidism, antibiotics against infections, antiarrhythmics for abnormal rhythms of the fetal heart, or substances to accelerate maturation of the lungs in cases of imminent premature birth.
Excess amniotic fluid (polyhydramnion) can be aspirated. In cases of oligohydramnion (not enough amniotic fluid), fluid can be added.
The aim of somatic gene therapy is to deactivate or replace abnormal genes. Using vectors (retroviruses or adenoviruses), genes can be introduced into the nuclei of cells that are still capable of division so that they can proliferate throughout the tissues.
Advances have also been made in the field of intra-uterine surgery. Through these means, it is possible to repair diaphragmatic hernias, to correct impairment of urine drainage, to set drainages in feto-amniotic hydrocephaly, or to remove large sacral teratomas.
Prophylaxis is becoming more significant in prenatal medicine, for example: delivery of folic acid in order to prevent neural tube defects, avoidance of alcohol, vaccination against rubella, and other particular actions associated with known diseases.