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Patient samples won’t be tested until the laboratory receive payment
HTS Labs working on behalf of University Maternity Hospital Limerick
Harmony® Test is a non-invasive method for the detection of the fetal trisomies in the unborn child, based on the analysis of the genetic material (fetal DNA) that circulates in the mother’s blood.
The Harmony® Test is an early and reliable prenatal screening test for the mother’s blood after completion of the 10th week of gestation.
In chromosomally health fetuses, the genetic information is stored in 23 pairs of chromosomes. A trisomy is a chromosomal disorder in which a certain chromosome occurs three times instead of twice.
Trisomy 21 is the most common form of a chromosomal disorder at birth. It occurs in approximately one out of every 830 newborns. The probability of its occurrence depends to a large extent on the age of the mother. A trisomy 21 leads to “Down syndrome”, which can cause mild to moderate mental disability as well as other illnesses such as congenital heart diseases. The average life expectancy of affected persons today is around 60 years.
Trisomy 18 causes “Edwards syndrome”. This trisomy appears in approximately one out of every 5,000 newborns. Trisomy 13 (“Patau syndrome”) affects approximately one out of every 16,000 newborns. Both trisomies are associated with a high rate of miscarriage. Affected children suffer from several disorders simultaneously, including serious heart diseases. The mean life expectancy of babies affected by trisomy 18 or 13 is only a few months and they rarely survive their first year of life.
The risk for both trisomies also depends on the age of the mother.
What can Panorama tell me?
Panorama screens for genetic changes that most often happen by chance.
During your pregnancy, your blood contains DNA from both you and your baby’s placenta. Panorama looks at the placental DNA to see if there are signs of certain chromosomal conditions that could affect your baby’s health.
Results are typically available in seven to ten days (once the sample reaches the lab). Your consultant will receive your personalised risk report that indicates if your pregnancy is at high or low risk for the screened conditions.
Why choose Panorama?
Panorama is the most widely ordered NIPT in the US. Only a simple blood draw is required. Panorama is the only NIPT that can tell the difference between your DNA and the baby’s DNA, leading to fewer incorrect results and no fetal sex errors in clinical validation studies.
Across Harmony and Panorama NIPT tests, the following conditions can be screened for:
A doctor may order a non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), also known as cell free DNA screening, for several reasons. This test is a type of genetic screening that looks for certain specific chromosome problems in a developing baby.
Here are some common reasons a doctor might order an NIPT:
If you receive a High Risk result, your healthcare practitioner will need to go through all the options with you such as additional diagnostic testing.
Yes – while each test will have varying sensitivity and specificity rates, all tests are considered very accurate screening tests. No medical test is 100% accurate, but NIPT tests are considered very accurate considering the lack of risk posed to a fetus when compared to more invasive testing methods.
This can vary between tests:
Yes, both the Harmony and Panorama NIPT tests can identify the gender of the fetus to a very high level of accuracy.
Stay relaxed! There are no special requirements before you get your blood drawn for an NIPT test, such as fasting. Just make sure you arrive in time for your blood draw/consultation and ask any questions you want to your healthcare provider.
Both the Harmony and Panorama NIPT are priced at €340. After payment is received you will be sent a receipt by email and a text message noting what test you have paid for. Please have this to hand at your appointment.