Noninvasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) (NIPT)

Test Description: 

Noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS*) using cell-free DNA testing is currently the most sensitive and specific screening test for common fetal aneuploidies involving chromosomes 21, 18, 13, X, and Y with optional fetal sex detection. This test can be completed as early as 10 weeks gestational age. NIPS can provide expecting mothers the knowledge needed to make medical decisions regarding pregnancy, including the decision to pursue more invasive testing methods. NIPS is the best option for expecting patients to predict the likelihood of certain chromosome aneuploidies such as Down syndrome (trisomy 21), Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18), and Patau syndrome (trisomy 13), and sex chromosome aneuploidies. NIPS is now endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine for all patients, regardless of maternal age. This test is suitable for singleton and twin pregnancies and IVF with egg donor pregnancies (singleton and twin).

Methodology: Next Generation Sequencing of Cell-Free DNA

  *Sometimes referred to as Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT)