What is NIPT?
NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Test) is an advanced prenatal screening test based on the analysis of cell-free fetal DNA circulating in a blood sample taken from the mother during pregnancy.
Because it does not require direct intervention to the baby, it is non-invasive and therefore different from procedures like amniocentesis.
Most commonly, NIPT is used to assess risk for Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), and Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome). Depending on the scope of the test, sex chromosome abnormalities, rare autosomal aneuploidies, microdeletions, deletions/duplications, and some hereditary / de novo genetic diseases can also be evaluated.
Important note: NIPT is a screening test; it is not a diagnostic test. High-risk results must be confirmed with diagnostic tests when necessary.
When is NIPT Performed?
The NIPT test can usually be performed starting from the 10th week of pregnancy. After this period, a sufficient amount of fetal DNA is expected to be present in the maternal blood.
Taking a blood sample from the mother is sufficient for the test. No special preparation or fasting is required.