DOWN'S SCANDAL; Two healthy babies lost for every three cases found.

Byline: BY MIKE SWAIN SCIENCE EDITOR

TESTS to detect Down's syndrome are damaging too many unborn babies, researchers claimed yesterday.

Their study shows that for every 660 detections of the condition, the tests result in 400 miscarriages of healthy babies among the 600,000 women offered screening in England and Wales every year.

The alarming figures were compiled by the charity Down Syndrome Education International, whose chief Frank Buckley said: "I think that's a shocking ratio."

He told last night's Channel 4 news:

"Around two babies without Down's syndrome are being lost in the process of preventing the birth of three with Down's."

The charity has written to the Governmant asking for a reappraisal of testing.

The study questions the advice and risk assessment given to pregnant women who are told, after an ultrasound scan, they are "at risk" of having a Down's baby.

Most are then offered testing by CVS or amniocentesis, which involve the insertion of instruments with a risk of miscarriage - up to one in 100 for amniocentesis and one in 50 for CVS. Expert Prof Kypros Nicolaides, of King's College Hospital in London, told Channel 4: "It is completely unacceptable that to detect 600, 700 or 800 foetuses with Down's, we must have the loss of 400 more or less normal babies."

The Department of Health said: "The screening is to offer woman information so they can make informed decisions.

"To ensure that screening is both effective and safe for all women, a quality assurance system has been set up."

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SCAN A normal test during pregnancy