What is NIPT done with?

A clinician takes blood from a vein in your arm. The laboratory separates cell-free DNA in the sample; some of this DNA comes from the placenta and can provide screening information about selected chromosome conditions. The test does not take a sample directly from the uterus and does not diagnose every genetic or pregnancy condition.

NIPT is a screening test, so a result may indicate a higher or lower chance for the conditions included in the chosen test. Your pregnancy history, ultrasound findings, and the laboratory report help your clinician explain what the result means.

Ask which conditions the laboratory will screen for, when the result is expected, and whether you need an ultrasound as part of the assessment. Tell the clinician about your pregnancy details and any previous genetic testing. Usually, no special preparation is needed for the blood draw, but follow the instructions from your maternity team.

A result that needs further assessment does not by itself confirm a diagnosis. Your clinician may discuss genetic counselling, a detailed ultrasound, or a diagnostic test that examines fetal or placental cells.

Contact your maternity team if you are worried about a result, if the laboratory reports that the sample could not be interpreted, or if the result does not match an ultrasound finding. Seek urgent pregnancy care for heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, fainting, or fluid loss, regardless of the NIPT result.

Which conditions does my NIPT screen for, and what does a higher-chance result mean for my pregnancy? Would genetic counselling or diagnostic testing help clarify the result?