First Trimester screening/NIPT/NT etc discussion

manillabar · August 2020

I think some of us are nearing this point. What (if any) screenings are you doing/considering? Feel free to discuss and ask questions!

redselig · August 2020

I did the NIPT with my last and I will definitely do it again. It really gave me peace of mind while anticipating the anatomy scan.

juliebeannn · August 2020

I'll be doing NIPT in a week or two. I did it with my first and I felt I was able to relax a bit more after having the test done.

Edit: I'm AMA so it'll be covered by insurance.

manillabar · August 2020

with my first I did the quad screen plus the Nuchal translucency scan. I was pretty low risk and felt comfortable with that. I think I will most likely do the same this time. I don't really qualify for the NIPT insurance wise, though I know we could probably make some kind of OOP arrangement. But I think the regular screening will be fine for me again. Also, interestingly, my OB said that they can do y-chromosome testing (to find out the sex) with the screening this time, which is new (or at least new to me lol).

duhduhduck · August 2020

NIPT is scheduled for 9/2. I am just shy of AMA, but she said it only costs $200 out of pocket so we figured it was worth it. Still need to decide whether or not to learn the sex.

jenotontx · August 2020

I had the NIPT with my daughter and I want to get it again as long as the OOP cost isn't too much. I don't think my insurance will cover it but I plan to call and ask after my first appointment next week.

kloe818 · August 2020

We are doing NIPT as well. I'm AMA so it's covered. I have the kit already to take with me to the lab. I'm just hoping for some peace of mind. My previous pregnancy ended due to Turner Syndrome (missing a sex chromosome) so it'd be nice to know this one's genetically normal. We will be learning the sex of the baby because we like to plan but will wait to tell anyone until we confirm at the 20 week ultrasound.

finnflan · August 2020

Would definitely love to do the NIPT but I don’t meet the provincial requirements for it so would be out of pocket around $550...so don’t think we’re going for it. Have NT scan/bloodwork schedules in a couple of weeks and that’s about it (will also be the 1st u/s for me this pregnancy so excited for it!!)

bcashaw · August 2020

This is different in Canada, its just standard testing here so theres not really a decision to make

finnflan · August 2020

bcashaw said:

This is different in Canada, its just standard testing here so theres not really a decision to make

Where in Canada are you? I’m in Ontario and NIPT isn’t standard here (unfortunately).

bcashaw · August 2020

@finnflan im also in Ontario, i think its called something different. Unless im totally wrong about what NIPT is?

bcashaw · August 2020

@finnflan okay so i was wrong NIPT isnt standard, but the MMS is standard and mms determines whether you are high risk for the things they screen for in the NIPT. So i guess i dont really understand why one would pay for NIPT if everything in the MMS test came back normal? And if the MMS screening didnt come back normal then OHIP covers NIPT.

finnflan · August 2020

@bcashaw - yup. I think the draw/appeal to paying for it if you don’t originally meet OHIP criteria is that you can get it done starting at 9 weeks, whereas for the NT scan etc, you have to wait until 11-13 weeks, then if the NIPT is needed, wait another week or so to get those results. So for people who want to know ASAP, and for people who may make the decision to end the pregnancy based on certain results, knowing sooner could be better. I have no history to suggest a possible concern so my logical side says don’t bother paying for it but then the other side of me says ‘but if you do it you can find out the sex before 20 weeks...’ 🤣

bcashaw · August 2020

@finnflan okay, i get it! I actually bought a sneak peek test it was like 89$ or something. I can do it next week. Apparently its 99.1% accurate. But if theyre wrong they give you back your money. Im doing it because i have no patience, but im not going to believe the results until my anatomy scan anyways so i dont know why im bothering, lol.

juliebeannn · August 2020

@bcashaw If I wasn't doing NIPT, I would totally be doing Sneak Peek, too!

bcashaw · August 2020

@juliebeannn the website says i can do it on Tuesday, but i think i should wait a few days just to make sure its more accurate? But also i have patience issues, so i guess we will see 🤷‍♀️

finnflan · August 2020

@bcashaw haha I was going to do the sneak peak test too but then decided not to because I know I won’t trust the results until the anatomy scan, and I think I’ll be upset if the scan says something different! This was like a week long internal back and forth for me

ohheyitsb · August 2020

Just an FYI - I would check with your insurance companies. Because of COVID, insurance companies are changing policies to cover NIPT because it's lower risk option (less direct patient contact) for pregnant mothers. My insurance released a bulletin it's covering the testing through December!

finnflan · August 2020

@ohheyitsb - nice! It’s not part of my private insurance plan unfortunately so it’s not covered (totally worth double checking though, I did!)

becca07024411 · August 2020

My insurance covered NIPT (BCBC IL), but I am not AMA or anything that inwould think would meet criteria. Maybe my doctor checked a box or something that makes it more likely to be covered. The bill amount and insurance coverage sat there pending for a few months, but eventually it showed it was covered.

pisciesbaby2021 · August 2020

I’ll be getting the test. It’s called Harmony in Australia and tests for the three biggies ... trisome 13, 18 and 21. I think it also tests for some other things too as well as gender. I previously had a loss due to trisome 18, so I guess I’m a bit nervous based on my history and want the reassurance that the test could potentially bring. I’ve had lots of early miscarriages so my two goals in this pregnancy were to see a heartbeat (I saw that last week) and to get the harmony test results. I’m 9 weeks this Friday so I can get that test after I reach 10 weeks. It takes up to 10 working days here to get the results back.

jemjed · August 2020

Super frustrated....phlebotomist was scheduled to come to my house yesterday to take blood for NIPT. Get a call and they say they are here, looking outside no one was here. After going back and forth discover this woman is in California and I’m on the east coast!!!! They screwed up and had my name and phone number crossed with someone else’s address. Call and get it straightened out and they schedule someone to come today. After 40 minutes and sticking me three times only filled one of the two vials. I can feel I’m going to have major bruising already. Now I’m waiting on a call back from genetic counselor who set it up to see if one vial is enough or if I have to get another kit and schedule again! Grrrr I just want to know everything is okay!

jenotontx · August 2020

@jemjed Oh my gosh that is so frustrating! If I remember correctly they took a lot of blood from me when I got my NIPT so I would be surprised if one is enough.

There may have been other tests that I was getting at the same time though. I don't remember.

pisciesbaby2021 · August 2020

@jemjed that would be super annoying. Hang in there. Hope all goes ok and they sort it out.

pisciesbaby2021 · August 2020

I had my NIPT on Friday and now we play the waiting game for the results. The results normally take 5-10 working days but I’ve been told with covid it may take a bit longer so will just have to wait it out and hopefully it’s not too long for this impatient mumma to wait.

kloe818 · August 2020

@pisciesbaby2021 Same...went on Wednesday last week. I have my 12 week scan this week too.

Yiggle09 · August 2020

I had a tough time with my nt scan. My drs office doesn't send people for the ultrasound but I come from New York and that's routine so I requested it. The area I live in doesn't have anyone to do it so I have to go up to a hospital south 1 hr BUT I have to get a waiver so the scan will be paid at tier 1 instead of 2 then the referral never made it I still don't have approval and the scan is in a week even though I'll be like 13.5 weeks by then. I'm hoping the approval comes in by then. My drs office put up a fight about the form too it's been so stressful.

mvt2003 · August 2020

I had my intake appointment yesterday with my OB and found out I'm getting both the NT and the NIPT (one of the few perks of an AMA pregnancy I guess.) The NIPT won't be quite as accurate since it's twins, but my nurse said they still would like to get the information from the test, so I'll get my bloodwork done next week for it.

cmortmain · August 2020

Had my NT ultrasound yesterday and results were normal, yay. I also opted to get the NIPT and carrier blood tests, but I won't get those results for two weeks. The genetic counselor offered more invasive diagnostic testing, due to my advanced maternal age, but I am waiting on the blood test results before considering that route.

kloe818 · August 2020

My doctor waits until 16 weeks for the NT ultrasound but we should have our NIPT results before the next heartbeat check at 14 weeks.

Yiggle09 · August 2020

@kloe818 according to my research and from scheduling my nt scan it cannot be done after 14 weeks because the back fold changes and becomes too thick aka no longer translucent and cannot be done accurately. I would check w your office about that.

cmortmain · August 2020

@kloe818 I agree with @Yiggle09, from what I've read 16 weeks sounds too late for the NT scan (usually done between 11 weeks and 13w6d) and too early for the anatomy scan (usually done between 18 and 22 weeks). I'd call your doctor's office and inquire what scan exactly they are talking about.

kloe818 · August 2020

@Yiggle09 @cmortmain Thank you ladies. I'll call in the morning.

treebagel · August 2020

I had genetic counselor televisit yesterday and it was good! I am a carrier for beta thalassemia, which we found out from my first pregnancy bloodwork. DH never got tested for it. From this visit, we found out that it’s most likely he’s NOT a carrier, but even if we go with the most conservative statistics we would only have a 0.08% of having a kid with the major version of the disorder. So he’s actually getting tested now even though it’s too late for this pregnancy, but we feel reassured it won’t be an issue. Got my NIPT bloodwork taken, can’t wait to have those results.

keepingupwithmrsr · August 2020

I'd be interested to follow this thread and see how many genders are correct? I've been reading more and more how they have been wrong.

There is a thread on babycenter with 45 pages of moms who had false gender results. With the female that ended up being male it seemed the reasoning was there wasn't enough Y chromosome at time of test. With male becoming female the reasoning seemed to be either a vanished twin that was male, a previous male child or a miscarriage that was possible male all which would leave a linger Y chromosome.

Pretty crazy. They also had some research saying the test arent as accurate for gender as they claim as its mainly used for screening purposes not gender. I don't know how accurate that statement is but its very interesting all the mommas out there that ended up having an amniocentesis because of results, an ultrasound or birth that's changed the gender.
Makes me nervous my results could be wrong.

kloe818 · August 2020

@keepingupwithmrsr So I'm hearing "take the results with a grain of salt and await the anatomy scan".

manillabar · August 2020

See this is what makes me nervous 😩
we had our NT scan today, and everything looks good, thankfully! And the bloodwork suggests we’re having another girl, though now I’m skeptical lol. I won’t fully trust it until the anatomy scan I guess...

jemjed · August 2020

I posted earlier in the feed about my initial NIPT draw. Unfortunately my frustration has continued. The one vial wasn’t enough. I insisted on going to a lab not having another mobile phlebotomist. Had to go about thirty minutes away but the person got two vials no problem (she was in shock by where the mobile phlebotomist had tried to draw from). Yesterday I get a call from genetic counselor who said they had frustrating news for me. Although this draw had enough blood the fetal dna fraction, essentially the amount of blood from the baby vs me, wasn’t high enough to complete the testing! He explained it could be because of when I had the blood draw as far as number of weeks or because of my weight. My options were do a third attempt with that company, switch to a different company and try their test or do a more invasive option. After discussing with my husband I am trying the different company. It’s over twice the price. I’m just so frustrated and just want to know everything is okay.

manillabar · August 2020

@jemjed ugh how frustrating! Sorry you have to go through all this!

finnflan · August 2020

@keepingupwithmrsr what specific test was being discussed? I’m wondering if that makes a difference (ie I wouldn't be surprised if there was variance between the accuracy of results from Sneak Peak vs NIPT, not least in part because the sneak peak type tests are samples taken by the user themselves, etc). That said, even the u/s can be wrong haha. A good friend of mine was told girl at several u/s and out popped a boy. The game isn’t over til the baby’s out!

finnflan · August 2020

@jemjed ugh, that’s SO frustrating to hear, I’m sorry!

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