NIFT Blood Test
Dear Mother Prospects,
The pregnancy process is at the top of your life’s most special periods, among the ones requiring the most responsibility. It will be a great advantage for you to go through this process easily and comprehensibly with your gynecologist and obstetrician. In this way, according to the information you will receive from your physician, you can evaluate what your baby’s Trisomy risk is and how it can be detected.
The Non-Invasive Fetal Trisomy (NIFTY) test, a non-interventional fetal trisomy test, allows you to detect whether your baby has Trisomy 21, Trisomy 18, Trisomy 13 or not, more clearly than by current methods. Information about what Trisomy is and how it can be detected will be provided. Do not hesitate to share with your doctor any questions you may have about your personal situation or about this test.
What is Trisomy and How Does it Develop?
Trisomy is the information of the chromosome, which normally comes one from the mother and one from the father, taking place in the cells a third time. This extra chromosome, sc. DNA information, causes several genes at the cellular level to find expression not two times but 3 times; thus causing anomalies in the production of various substances. When this anomalies at the cellular level are reflected in the body of the baby, a group of symptoms called syndrome emerges.
Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)
Trisomy 21 is the most common chromosomal anomaly. It occurs in about 1/800 of live births. It is usually a chromosome illness that is not hereditary but occurs spontaneously during pregnancy, and is characterized by the fact that there are three of the 21st chromosome in the baby. With the increasing of the mother’s age, the frequency of the disease increases.
Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome)
It is seen in about 1/5000 of live births. For this disease too, there is an increased risk with the advanced age of the mother. These babies have very serious congenital structure disorders. They are usually lost during pregnancy or in the first weeks of life.
Trisomy 13 (Patau Syndrome)
It is a chromosomal abnormality seen in about 1/10000 of live births. The increase in the age of the mother increases the frequency of Trisomy 13. Anomalies at the skull and face area, as well as at the heart, kidney, stomach and/or other physical anomalies are seen in newborns.
How can such diseases be detected during pregnancy??
There are both invasive and non-invasive screening test possibilities during pregnancy. Ultrasonographic examinations performed between 11th and 14th weeks of gestation are the primary non-invasive methods. In this way, the thickness of the baby’s nape can be measured. Double, triple scanning tests with maternal blood are other non-invasive techniques. However, although these techniques detect the risk to a certain extent, they do not provide a definitive diagnosis.
What is NIFTY Blood Test and How to Apply?
With the possibilities of the new generation technologies, identification of trisomy without intervention is enabled. The blood of the baby during pregnancy being mixed with the mother’s blood constitutes the basis of carrying out this test.
In invasive methods that require intervention to the candidate mother’s body, techniques such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus biopsy and cordocentesis are applied. Such methods are aimed at collecting cells from the baby in the mother’s womb. Even if these interventional tests are currently considered to have the highest percentage of safety worldwide, there is a risk of 0.2% to 1% of miscarriage after intervention. After a certain period of pregnancy, the blood from the mother’s arm and the DNA fragments from the baby can be separated. This way, it can be concluded if the baby has Trisomy 21, 18 or 13.
What is the Right Time to Apply the Test?
Although it is technically possible to perform the NIFTY test from the 8th week onwards, but the best time is after the 10th gestational week. You can have this test if your doctor, as a result of ultrasound and blood test, has determined that your baby is suspicious of carrying Trisomy, or if you are worried because you are in a risk group.
How is NIFTY Test Done?
After the information and genetic counseling you have received from your doctor, you can sign the required “NIFTY Test Approval Form” and perform the blood giving process. Blood drawn from you will be sent to BGI laboratories in special tubes. The analysis takes approximately 10 to 14 days. The results of the analysis are explained to you through your doctor.
Is the NIFTY Test Covered by Health Insurance?
No. Unfortunately, it needs to be covered by the patient…
What is it Mean for the Result to be Negative or Positive?
The negative test result shows that approximately 99.9% your baby does not have Trisomy; in the case of a positive test result, it implies that the baby has Trisomy with approximately 99.9% possibility.