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Whitepaper: An Introduction to NIPT

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Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing, otherwise known as NIPT, is a new method of prenatal testing without harming the fetus and the mother. These tests can assess the presence of fetal trisomies in a pregnancy as early as 10 weeks. Since this method of testing is safe and highly accurate, many are opting to use NIPT over other invasive procedures like amniocentesis.

Pregnant women who can largely benefit from this type of testing are those who are over 35 years of age, those who have an ultrasound that shows increased risk of aneuploidy, those with a pregnancy history of trisomy, and thise who have had a positive serum test for aneuploidy. NIPT examines circulating cell free fetal DNA in the mother’s blood. This new method of testing is a new option in the testing paradigm for identifying fetal aneuploidies.

This cell free DNA comes from the mother’s placenta and is in her blood for a few hours. This testing can be done much earlier than the invasive procedures, making it a great tool for identifying conditions like Down’s syndrome. The results can take up to ten days to weeks.

Statistics show that NIPT has not been associated with miscarriages or had any adverse side effects that could harm the unborn baby since it is only a simple blood test. While it is not a part of routine assessments currently preformed on pregnant women, it is a viable option for a mother who is at high risk for trisomy. Currently, there are several companies providing NIPT kits. Of the growing list, the first and most popular is Prenatest from Lifecodexx, Germany.