@theblondebump Oh. Gotcha. I thought you told them not to run the sex part and they did anyway. It's a shame they can't run that still without releasing the sex.
@x_tina729 I turn down a lot of things offered if I don't feel they're necessary! Definitely weigh the pros and cons and talk things over with your partner so you feel good about your decision
@lalarose22 yes we have been doing that but he’s indecisive as well lol. I’m leaning more towards not doing it but can’t help but feel guilty since it seems more people do it? It’s comforting to hear you have turned tests down as well.
It wouldn’t change my decision on keeping the baby. I work in special education and feel pretty prepared in that area so I don’t know. My next appointment is 3/2 so I’ll decide by then and keep everyone posted (if you even care!) lol
Some of the things the NIPT tests for are the fatal things, if that makes any difference. Down's is one of the trisomies with a reasonably good outcome. Most of the others are fatal in infancy.
Current pregnancy - First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
Four prior losses, no living children - 1 first trimester miscarriage, 1 blighted ovum, 1 chemical, and one extreme premature live birth daughter who died at 15 days old.
I just feel like it’s something you’d want to know, even if it’s just so you can adequately prepare yourself, your partner, your family, etc. Unless the cost is a burden one can’t afford, I don’t get the downside to doing the NIPT?
@x_tina729 were not getting the NT or NIPT. I dont even know if they're offered here where I live. My first midwive appt is tomorrow so maybe she'll mention it. I dont remember from my first pregnancy. For us, we would keep the baby no matter and if there was something wrong I'd rather not have to worry about it for so long. I don't think any amount of preparation can actually prepare you for a baby with nontypical development unless maybe you've been through it before. Also, a friend of mine was told at some point in pregnancy (not for sure when) that he baby was going to be severely handicapped. Of course she was concerned and her baby was born completely fine and has had typical development his whole life. I'm sure the NIPT is a pretty accurate but even still, if there is something, I'd rather not know and worry about it for so long since there's not much you can do anyways.
For those using Natera Panorama, results are coming back incredibly quickly. I gave my sample on 2/23 and they came back to my doctor this morning, on 3/1.
For those concerned about not finding out the sex, the test still tests for everything it would normally and still won't list the sex (if requested to not know at sample time). I even confirmed this with my lab tech, and she said that she doesn't know of any test that requires you to find out the sex in order to get full results.
My report for this pregnancy isn't on their website yet, but here is an example of what the results look like using my daughter's results.
My results came in this morning (low risk, and a boy). It took 11 days including weekends and holidays. We wanted to know the gender, but there was a virtual assistant messaging box that walked us through the results and then asked if we wanted to know the gender - all before giving us the option to download the test. So, we could have gotten the results and not seen the gender as long as we didn’t open the PDF.
@laj0217 You're very right! One thing I'll add, though, is that if you requested at sample time to not have it reported, it won't show you even if you ask it to. I tested that today using my daughter's results from 2019, and it said it wasn't reported. It adds a nice touch, though!
@trapperkeeper87@laj0217 yes, sorry to clarify, maybe I didn't explain well before... I could have chosen not to have the sex reported, but that would mean they wouldn't have run the sex part of the test at all. If I wanted to have that part run (to test for the abnormalities), then it would show up in the report that gets uploaded. But that's not from the NIPT or the lab, it's my hospital system. The online portal is for my whole hospital system so it's like, they get the results from the NIPT company and then they put them into the hospital web portal or whatever, I dno exactly how it works, but it's all just automated and there isn't an option to not have the sex be part of the report. So I just didn't open it at all and just had my doctor call with the NIPT results, no big deal. I didn't really need to read the report myself, as long as everything was fine.
I'm going for the Panorama test on Friday. I had no idea this genetic testing existed before this week so I'm really excited that I won't need an amnio if the results come back low risk. It costs $550 here in Canada and insurance doesn't cover unfortunately.
How do you all know what kind of test they use? Is it administered differently or something? I was just under the impression the NIPT was a blood draw and NT was an US.
How do you all know what kind of test they use? Is it administered differently or something? I was just under the impression the NIPT was a blood draw and NT was an US.
That's my understanding too, unless I'm misunderstanding your question. I think it's dependent on the doctor and/or your level of risk if you're offered an NT scan, but I could be wrong. The NIPT is a blood test that is shipped off to the company your doctor contracts with.
@mnmomma84 I think you're right about NIPT vs. NT, but there are several different brands and types of NIPT test. I knew mine (Claritest) because they handed me the branded box during my U/S appointment and asked me to hand it off to the lab tech for the blood draw.
First time mom-to-be, due 9/25/22
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
What @lilienne and @trapperkeeper87said. I have no idea which one they did for me, I just know they drew my blood for it lol.
Current pregnancy - First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
Four prior losses, no living children - 1 first trimester miscarriage, 1 blighted ovum, 1 chemical, and one extreme premature live birth daughter who died at 15 days old.
Thanks for the explanation. I was curious since mine is coming up on Monday...I guess I wasn't aware there was a brand of test? I just assumed that since the health system I use has their own lab that they'd do the testing and results. Will have to see what happens.
I just knew because they handed me a Natera card with my specific Kit ID on it so I could log into the Natera website and check my results. Which ended up being pointless because they don't post them until your doctor has approved them anyways. So I already knew from the doctor before they posted them.
@mnmomma84 looking at the difference in timeline, brand, etc. I concluded that NIPT testing is something Kaiser can't do in-house. They took a bunch of blood for me for in-house tests (baseline bloodwork plus some tests to see if I'm a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis and other concerns), but the blood for the NIPT test went into different vials in a Claritest box with a shipping label. That's also (I'm guessing) why the NIPT results are so much slower - the samples have to be mailed, and then run in a lab that is apparently much less efficient than Kaiser's! Their in-house stuff doesn't take long at all, but they said 14 business days for the NIPT, sigh.
First time mom-to-be, due 9/25/22
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
My OB’s office is at the hospital and they have a lab, but they can’t do these tests in it. So like others have said, I received a Natera box to take to the lab. The blood vials get mailed in the box and I was given a patient ID card to login into the Natera portal for my results.
If I already received my NIPT results and they're low risk/normal, do y'all think it's necessary to have the NT scan? I didn't have it with my last baby, but it's offered. I would have to go to a different city/bigger hospital to have it done, though. They don't really push any of these tests in my office...they just give you a paper at your first visit and you check which ones you want. I only opted for NIPT, but now hearing everyone talk about NT, I'm considering it.
*Edit to Add - I was just reading the paper they gave me, and it looks like the Panorama (NIPT) detection rate for Downs, Trisomy 13, & Trisomy 18 are all higher than they are with the NT screening. So maybe there's no need to worry about it.
@whitta1015 I had the Panorama done as well and my doctor made me feel very comfortable about the results. I'll be 35 at delivery, so my risk is a little higher than last time, but I don't feel the need to get the NT scan. I think Panorama is one of the more trusted companies based on accuracy, but that's based on my own research.
I think they push it more if you're older. With both my last pregnancy and this one, they gave me the choice of the NIPT, but just assumed I was going to do the NT. I opted for both, because I have the Cadillac of Kaiser plans and it cost me absolutely nothing to do it. But if it costs money and your NIPT came out clean, it's probably overkill.
Current pregnancy - First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
Four prior losses, no living children - 1 first trimester miscarriage, 1 blighted ovum, 1 chemical, and one extreme premature live birth daughter who died at 15 days old.
@whitta1015 the NT scan also evaluates for genetic conditions not screened for in NIPT such as Noonan’s and Turners, so it’s not redundant. Knowledge is power IMO so I’d opt in for everything so long as cost is not a limiting factor.
I will always advocate for both the NIPT and the NT test. An enlarged NT measurement can mean more than the four items the NIPT checks for.
I have a friend on here who went through this, and I feel strongly about speaking out on her behalf. Hopefully, the NIPT is great and everyone’s babies are perfect, but if you can have both done, I say go for it.
TTC History
Me: 38 DH: 52
Started trying June 2018
BFP Jan 2019 DD born October 2019
TTC July 2021 BFP, ended in MMC August 2021
TTC October 2021
BFP January 2022
MMC March 2022
Beginning May 2022 under the supervision of an RE - Benched while undergoing testing
@elle-0409 that's pretty much my position, too. They're both non-invasive, so if you can afford to have them both done, why not?
Current pregnancy - First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
Four prior losses, no living children - 1 first trimester miscarriage, 1 blighted ovum, 1 chemical, and one extreme premature live birth daughter who died at 15 days old.
Knottie, yea, I misread your comment and thought you said the NIPT screens for other things and I was like “well, she had that so she’s covered!” Whoops!
In case anyone is curious, I requested an appointment with a Kaiser geneticist because I wanted to get more info about different testing options. The person I spoke with said that they largely phased out NT scans in favor of NIPT screening when COVID hit, as they wanted to reduce appointment frequency and length. She also said that the NT scan is only really used to predict Down's Syndrome and that the results are less reliable than NIPT screening results.
I don't want to discourage anyone from opting into testing that will make them feel better, and I'm not qualified to debate the issue myself, but I figured I'd share the info in case it came in handy for anyone else. Obviously, if you feel differently or your doctor gives you a different answer you should go with it!
First time mom-to-be, due 9/25/22
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
Some genetic testing factoid I found interesting today when my midwife told me.
She said the only reason 35 is considered the magic number for ama is because the risk of having a baby with down's syndrome at this age is the same risk of having a miscarriage from an amniocentesis. I think she said both were 1/300 so they used this to convince mothers to get the amniocentesis back in the day.
I had the NIPT done yesterday and was referred for the NT as well, but my doctor just called me to say that she heard back from the OBGYN who does the NT scan and they won't do it if you are getting the NIPT. The blood test trumps the ultrasound I guess!
I agree with what others have said - if you are able to do both, I would. My doctor explained that the NT scan also checks things like early anatomy, rather than just genetic abnormalities in the NIPT test. It seems like they are not redundant and I think if it's covered by insurance, or you can afford both, there's not really any reason not to, especially considering they are both non-invasive.
I just had my NT scan and NIPT blood draw today. The US tech echoed what @lilienne said that the blood test gives more results than just the NT scan. However, I walked away from that appointment with a few things on my mind. 1) I have a retroverted uterus and the tech wasn’t able to get a scan of the fluid or face, just a profile and we watched baby bean bounce around quite a bit. The tech wasn’t concerned about not getting the images since we were doing the blood test, also. 2) after I got home, the MFM clinic called me because they want me to come back to try another scan this week. What irks me is that the tech mentioned they could learn more from the blood test than just the scan. Color me confused (again) and now a little nervous that they called me to come back. I guess I’ll update after Friday this week with whatever I find out.
@lilienne I'll second what someone else said above though that there are some early anatomy things they look for in the scan, too, that you can't get from the blood test. So that's probably why they want you to go ahead and do the scan anyway. But I'm guessing they just want to be thorough, not because anything is wrong.
Current pregnancy - First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
Four prior losses, no living children - 1 first trimester miscarriage, 1 blighted ovum, 1 chemical, and one extreme premature live birth daughter who died at 15 days old.
@kboydbowman sorry, maybe I wasn't clear, but Kaiser said they wouldn't do the NT scan. I can't even ask for it, they just plain don't do it at my facility for low risk pregnancies.
First time mom-to-be, due 9/25/22
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
Re: NT/NIPT Discussion Thread
It wouldn’t change my decision on keeping the baby. I work in special education and feel pretty prepared in that area so I don’t know. My next appointment is 3/2 so I’ll decide by then and keep everyone posted (if you even care!) lol
First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
For those concerned about not finding out the sex, the test still tests for everything it would normally and still won't list the sex (if requested to not know at sample time). I even confirmed this with my lab tech, and she said that she doesn't know of any test that requires you to find out the sex in order to get full results.
My report for this pregnancy isn't on their website yet, but here is an example of what the results look like using my daughter's results.
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
*Edit to Add - I was just reading the paper they gave me, and it looks like the Panorama (NIPT) detection rate for Downs, Trisomy 13, & Trisomy 18 are all higher than they are with the NT screening. So maybe there's no need to worry about it.
First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
that's pretty much my position, too. They're both non-invasive, so if you can afford to have them both done, why not?
First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
I don't want to discourage anyone from opting into testing that will make them feel better, and I'm not qualified to debate the issue myself, but I figured I'd share the info in case it came in handy for anyone else. Obviously, if you feel differently or your doctor gives you a different answer you should go with it!
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
She said the only reason 35 is considered the magic number for ama is because the risk of having a baby with down's syndrome at this age is the same risk of having a miscarriage from an amniocentesis. I think she said both were 1/300 so they used this to convince mothers to get the amniocentesis back in the day.
First BFP on 1/4/22. Due date 9/13/22.
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!