M21 test

vastinekelly

anyone done the M21 test? Did you get sex of baby results?

thinkpink101

I did mine a little over a week ago and got the results today. They said they wouldn't tell me the gender, but I had already found out via u/s so they confirmed that what I had been told then was correct.

Sunshine4480

Is the M21 test done during 12 week ultrasound?

thinkpink101

For me they did the quad screen at 15 weeks and when the results came back with a high risk for Downs they did the M21 (16 weeks). I'm not sure my OB would have suggested the M21 unless the quad came back abnormal, but in retrospect I wish they would have just done the M21, would have eliminated a lot of worry. I guess the M21 doesn't test for neural tube defects which the quad does.

Ceridwen77

I'm scheduled for an NT scan and cell-free DNA test (M21 is one "brand") on 4/20 (will be 11w 2d).

vastinekelly

Well I'm going to do it. It's just a blood test right? Not invasive really

marceedee

vastinekelly said:

Well I'm going to do it. It's just a blood test right? Not invasive really

That's a good point!  The only reason we decided not to do it was the risk for a false positive.  According to what we had read, the possibility of those are still somewhat high, and I didn't think I could handle all that worrying for the next few months.  

cneiding

I had one done...different lab...same test..so a different "brand" name.

They can tell gender from the test.  Its a blood draw and from your blood they can pick up baby DNA.  If they find the male chromosome in your blood you are having a boy.  The absence of any male chromosomes and they then can assume its a girl. I have heard some drs not telling you the sex because they don't want people using the test as a gender test when thats not the real purpose of it.

Before you decide you want the test, make sure your insurance will cover it.  Mine was over $4,000.  I have heard some are "only" arround $2,000 but still thats a lot to be stuck with out of your pocket.  There are still many insurances that are not paying for the test yet.  So double check that.

Neural tubes defects are not found in that particular test.  HOwever, they can run another test by simply taking another tube of blood at the same time that looks for spinal bifida.  If you are wanting that test.  Its probably covered by insurance and its not expensive. 

It is not necessarily done during the 12 week ultrasound.  Its a blood draw so it has nothing to do with the ultrasound.  Plus, the timing of the Materni21 type test can be done at different times.  Some labs say they can do them as early as 10 weeks.  HOWEVER, later in pregnancy there is more dna available so there is more of a chance your results will not come back as unreadable, which does happen sometimes.  Some drs therefore wait until like 16 or 17 weeks because that is considered the optimum time to get dna from your blood. 

Also, I read that they have a harder time getting results in overweight women. 

ewenner

I did the M21 blood draw at my 12-week appointment.  They did tell us the sex of the baby, and then at the 20-week anatomy scan, they confirmed it.