When is NIPT recommended for Down syndrome?

NIPT analyses small fragments of pregnancy-related genetic material found in a pregnant person’s blood. It screens for a higher or lower chance of trisomy 21, the chromosome difference associated with Down syndrome. It does not diagnose Down syndrome, and a lower-chance result cannot identify every possible condition. A high-chance result needs discussion with a maternity or genetics team and may be followed by diagnostic testing, such as an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.

NIPT can be considered as part of routine prenatal screening or after another screening result, ultrasound finding, or personal and family history raises questions. Your clinician can explain the conditions included, the timing of the blood test, and what choices are available after each possible result. Before testing, consider whether the information would help you plan care or prepare emotionally. Read more about [NIPT](/treatments/pregnancy-and-birth-care/nipt/).

Contact your maternity team promptly if a screening result is reported as high chance, unclear, or unable to provide a result. Ask what the result means for your pregnancy and whether an ultrasound or diagnostic test is appropriate. Seek urgent pregnancy care for heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, fainting, or fluid leaking, regardless of your screening choice.

Ask which conditions the test screens for, when your result should be available, what an uncertain result means, and which diagnostic tests could confirm a finding. You can also ask how the result may affect ultrasound follow-up and where to obtain genetic counselling.