Scientists can now test a baby for genetic disease if the paternity is not known

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 13:00 EST, 4 July 2012 | UPDATED: 13:00 EST, 4 July 2012

Scientists have mapped the complete DNA of an unborn baby - using just the mother's blood.

The breakthrough could allow doctors to test for a range of genetic diseases in future such as cystic fibrosis and Down's syndrome without the need of the father.

It follows a similar study reported last month which required which successfully sequenced a foetus' genome from the mother's blood, along with a sample of saliva from the father.

Routine? Scientists say the discovery brings foetal genetic testing closer to becoming an every day procedure

This time researchers at the University of Stanford in California managed the task using material only found circulating in the mother's blood.

Current techniques used to pick up genetic diseases in unborn babies require invasive sampling, which carries certain risks to the health of the mother and child.

But early diagnosis of such problems can allow doctors to pre-empt whether treatments are needed immediately after a baby is born.

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DNA of unborn baby mapped from just mother's blood paving way for new genetic disease screening