Advances in Prenatal and Postnatal Genetic Testing: Precision Diagnosis for Genetic Disorders

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Genetic Diagnosis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 1530

Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: genetic disorders; human genetic diagnosis; prenatal and postnatal genetic testing; chromosomal abnormalities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Molecular Diagnostic Department, Cardea Medical,15233 Chalandri, Greece
Interests: clinical molecular genetics; human DNA testing; molecular karyotyping; NGS; SNP genotyping using gene titan

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, genetic testing has revolutionized the field of prenatal and postnatal diagnostics, offering accuracy and precision in the detection and management of inherited and de novo chromosomal abnormalities and genetic diseases. This Special Issue, "Advances in Prenatal and Postnatal Genetic Testing: Precision Diagnosis for Genetic Disorders", aims to highlight the latest innovations, clinical applications, and ethical considerations in the rapidly evolving field of medical genetics.

In this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore the development and implementation of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), next-generation sequencing (NGS—whole exome–whole genome sequencing), non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), and other cutting-edge methodologies. We encourage authors to submit manuscripts on the integration of genetic data into clinical care, genotype–phenotype correlations, diagnostic challenges, and the implications and interpretation of variants of uncertain significance (VUS).

We hope that this Special Issue will foster interdisciplinary dialogue between researchers, geneticists, clinicians, and genetic counsellors to improve diagnostic accuracy, support informed decision-making, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes. Contributions addressing the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of expanded genetic testing are also welcome. Through this collection, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and future directions in prenatal and postnatal genetic diagnostics.

Dr. Spiros Vittas
Dr. Eirini Louizou
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • genetic testing
  • prenatal diagnosis
  • postnatal diagnosis
  • precision medicine

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 616 KB  
Article
Integrated Prenatal Genetic Evaluation of Renal Agenesis: Chromosomal Microarray Analysis, Whole Exome Sequencing, and Outcome Correlations in 203 Fetuses
by Na Zhang, Ruibin Huang, Fang Fu, Hang Zhou, Ru Li and Can Liao
Genes 2026, 17(2), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17020176 - 31 Jan 2026
Viewed by 735
Abstract
Objectives: To characterize the prenatal phenotypic spectrum, genetic findings, and pregnancy outcomes of fetal renal agenesis (RA), and to clarify the complementary roles of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and whole exome sequencing (WES) in phenotype-stratified prenatal evaluation. Methods: This retrospective study included 203 [...] Read more.
Objectives: To characterize the prenatal phenotypic spectrum, genetic findings, and pregnancy outcomes of fetal renal agenesis (RA), and to clarify the complementary roles of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and whole exome sequencing (WES) in phenotype-stratified prenatal evaluation. Methods: This retrospective study included 203 RA fetuses between March 2017 and November 2025. All cases underwent genome-wide copy number variant (CNV) analysis, and selected cases underwent WES. Detection rates were compared across subgroups by laterality, isolated vs. non-isolated phenotype, fetal sex, and presence of extrarenal anomalies. Pregnancy outcomes and postnatal imaging follow-up were collected when available. A systematic literature review of prenatal genetic testing in RA fetuses was performed. Results: Among 203 fetuses, unilateral RA accounted for 92.6% of cases, and 65.0% were isolated. Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 15 fetuses (7.4%), including aneuploidies and pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) CNVs. WES identified P/LP single nucleotide variants in 8 of 127 cases (6.3%), increasing to 8.7% when variants with potential clinical relevance were included. Diagnostic yield of WES was significantly higher in bilateral RA, non-isolated cases, and fetuses with extrarenal anomalies. Postnatal follow-up confirmed RA in most liveborn cases, although additional phenotypes emerged in some children. Literature synthesis identified recurrent CNVs at 16p11.2 and 22q11.21 and frequent involvement of FRAS1, FREM2, GFRA1, and GREB1L. Conclusions: RA shows marked phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. CMA remains a first-tier prenatal test, while WES provides substantial incremental yield in bilateral, non-isolated, or extrarenal-associated RA. Integrated, phenotype-driven testing with longitudinal follow-up supports improved prognostication and genetic counseling. Full article
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