Receiving abnormal results on prenatal tests often signifies that a genetic flaw has been detected in the fetus, but according to new research, such results could also reveal potential health problems for the mother as well.

Researchers at the Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts conducted a study on how certain prenatal tests can be used to detect abnormalities in both the mother and her unborn child. They noted that in some cases, the results of the test may identify certain health issues in the child's DNA but may actually pertain to the mother's own health condition.

To find out more about this occurrence, Dr. Diana Bianchi, executive director of Tufts' Mother Infant Research Institute, and her colleagues examined blood tests collected from over 100,000 pregnant women. The test results were processed by a laboratory in Redwood City, California for almost three years.

The researchers discovered that 4,000 of the participants, or about three percent, had results that suggest the presence of abnormalities in the fetal chromosomes. While 10 of the cases showed that the babies were healthy, the mothers were eventually diagnosed with cancer, including colon, lymphoma and leukemia.

Bianchi and her team focused on eight of the women with cancer that were diagnosed within weeks to a few months after undergoing prenatal tests.

Most of the participants prenatal test results revealing more than one abnormality in the baby's chromosome. In three of the mothers, the cancer was detected during a medical workup that was prompted by the results of the tests. Other forms of cancers were found after the mothers began developing symptoms, in which of the women suffered from advanced cases.

"We don't know how many people are walking around with silent cancers this test is accidentally uncovering," Bianchi said.

The study shows the need for pregnant women to be aware that prenatal tests could also reveal such results, and if certain abnormalities are detected in the child, they should promptly seek follow-up testing such as amniocentesis.

Bianchi, however, pointed out that it would be premature to recommend cancer testing for pregnant women with false-positive results in their prenatal tests.

The findings of the Tufts Medical Center study are featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Photo: Mahalie Stackpole | Flickr