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A blood test that can determine the gender and genetic abnormalities in a unborn baby as early as five weeks has proven to be successful overseas.

Dutch researchers have developed the first non-invasive test and claim it has almost 100 per cent accuracy in determining the foetal gender.

The simple blood test of the mother's plasma means parents can find out if their unborn baby carries specific genetic abnormalities, such as muscular dystrophy, shortly after conception.

At present, a test cannot be carried out until at least 11 weeks - and in some cases as late as 18 weeks.

Professor Michael Chapman, head of women's and children's health at the University of NSW, said the discovery was the "holy grail" of research.

"Scientists have been chasing this for about 25 years," he said. "The biggest advantage of this in a wanted pregnancy is there is no risk of miscarriage during testing."

One in every 300 amniocentesis tests results in a miscarriage, due to a needle inserted into the membrane surrounding the baby to extract fluid.

The research team from the...