During pregnancy, part of the baby's DNA passes into the mother's bloodstream. The non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) analyzes the genetic information contained in this DNA to detect several abnormalities. The test is particularly sensitive to Down syndrome.

Why is prenatal testing important?
The best part of having a child is creating new life and growing it to its fullest potential. Unfortunately, in some cases, pregnancy can prove to be a tall order and in the worst case, it is a high-risk situation.

Having a child is not successful if the child has a health problem and needs to undergo an assessment that may reveal the presence of such a problem and begin treatment.

This is where the prenatal test comes in. NIPT is a very important test that can help a pregnant woman get an early diagnosis of life-threatening conditions in the fetus, which will help to ensure that the baby is born in the healthiest possible conditions.

What is a NIPT?
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a new genetic test that can be done as early as 10 weeks into a pregnancy. It screens for a range of serious fetal chromosome conditions, including Down Syndrome and Trisomy 18, two of the most common causes of severe birth defects. 

No risk, no pain – right? Well, not exactly. NIPT does come with some controversy because it only tells you about rare chromosome conditions and not all birth defects. There are also other factors to consider such as your family’s history and ethnicity before making the decision to test or not to test.

How accurate is NIPT?
Unlike other prenatal tests that need a blood sample to work, the NIPT test can be done using a simple urine sample. Even though the NIPT test may initially result in an increased number of false positives, this is because the pregnant woman usually has higher levels of the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which can be used as a marker for the presence of an increased number of abnormal or erroneous results.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the test is most likely to be inaccurate in the first trimester. The NIPT test is more accurate in the second and third trimesters, but even here, NIPT can be done between 13 and 15 weeks.

How much does NIPT cost? 
The cost of the test is dependent on the type of testing you choose. Our expert team of experts will review your case to provide you with accurate and cost-effective treatment plans for your child and mother. You can take a look at the price list here.

How to choose between invasive and non-invasive tests?
It is extremely important to understand how important the results are for you. According to our study, about 85% of women have a false-positive result after having an invasive test. In some cases, the fetus has already developed the condition. This would require an invasive procedure.

What are the requirements for taking a NIPT test?
Different types of tests can be used to screen for Down syndrome. In India, first of all, the screening can be done at the early stages of pregnancy at the non-invasive screening centre.

It is also possible to do screening tests on the older mother or the mother whose baby has been affected with Down syndrome. Usually, it is important to check first for genetic conditions before performing the NIPT.

Here's all you need to know about the options of screening tests for Down syndrome:

Simple NIPT: A simple NIPT test is usually performed in the first trimester of pregnancy. This test takes a small amount of blood and allows the cells to be tested for more than 100 genetic problems.

Can I get a NIPT if I'm not pregnant yet?
The test is designed to detect chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, Trisomy 18, Patau Syndrome and Patau Syndrome and Disorder. A few other medical conditions, such as Turner Syndrome and Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), which affect one or more of the parents' eggs or one or more of their sperm, do not cause symptoms or impair the normal development of the fetus, are not symptoms of an underlying medical condition, and have passed a battery of prenatal blood tests?

Yes, most women can get a NIPT during the early stages of their pregnancy. Even if you are pregnant and do not wish to know the baby's gender, you may still wish to know the NIPT results.

Conclusions
The USA's prenatal care is some of the best in the world and is improving at an even faster rate than its maternal health and newborn care. To save your baby's life, ask your OB-GYN to look for these four rare conditions:

Down Syndrome
Spina bifida
Heart problems
Omphalochezia

Learn more about your baby's chances for a healthy start.

We can prevent birth defects in the United States

Childbirth was once a common cause of birth defects and has improved significantly in the past 60 years. When the risks are high, efforts to reduce them are the right thing to do, particularly if there is a way to prevent the problem from happening.