NIPT, often referred to as genetic testing or cell-free DNA testing, is a type of prenatal screening test that analyses a sample of the mother’s blood to assess the risk of certain genetic conditions in the fetus. It’s a non-invasive test, meaning it doesn’t pose any direct risk to the pregnancy. It can be taken as early as 10 weeks into your pregnancy and screens for specific chromosomal abnormalities that might affect the health of your baby. Mediclinic offers the following two tests:
- Targeted (basic) which covers five chromosomes, and screens for common genetic conditions such as Down Syndrome, Edward’s Syndrome and Patau Syndrome - AED 1,299
- Genome-Wide Screen covers all chromosomes. It is the early detection for deletions or duplications of chromosomes which is more than 7mb, as well as aneuploidies which are gains or losses of small parts of the chromosomes. Genome-Wide Screening will detect rare diseases or deformities – AED 1,499
If in doubt, Mediclinic offers pre- and post-test genetic counselling sessions at its facilities. During your pregnancy you may be receive a lot of information about genetic testing. Mediclinic’s genetic counsellor will be available to help you process the information and make informed decisions that are in line with your needs and values for the pregnancy.
NIPT is:
- Safe, with no increased risk of miscarriage
- Non-invasive: tests are performed using a small sample of your blood
- Timely: Results will be ready in 10 to 14 days
- NIPT will be able to detect abnormal numbers of chromosomes such as Down Syndrome, Edward’s Syndrome and Patau Syndrome with more than 99% accuracy. With that in mind, the guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend NIPT is made available to all pregnant women, regardless of maternal age or baseline risk
- A screening test, not a diagnostic test: that means it can only provide an estimate of risk, not a definitive answer. Diagnostic testing is recommended to confirm the result.
- Not able to test for all possible chromosomal abnormalities: NIPT looks for the most common, medically impactful conditions
- Unable to diagnose or rule out fetal structural abnormalities (e.g. cardiac defects)
- Unable to tell us which fetus (in twin pregnancies) is affected, if it is a positive result