Cells from the unborn child can be extracted from the fluid which surrounds it in the womb and tested for certain abnormalities.
Autosomal inheritance means that an abnormal gene can affect either sex.
Biopsy - Removal of a small amount of tissue for examination. Cardiac - To do with the heart. Carrier - A healthy individual who has both a normal and an abnormal copy of a pair of genes for a genetic disorder or characteristic. A carrier of a gene for a recessive disorder will usually remain unaffected throughout life. Carrier Testing - Tests to find out if a person who does not show symptoms of a condition nevertheless carries the gene and could pass it on to his or her children.