Basic biology for the win!Ĭurrently, only a couple of companies have these gender DNA kits. Instead, they look only for male chromosomes.įor those who aren’t science whizzes, this means that if a Y chromosome is detected, you’ll be told you’re having a boy if not, a girl. These tests work basically the same way as the lab tests do, but they don’t screen your blood for any genetic abnormalities in your baby’s DNA. If you do just want an early read on (or, perhaps more accurately, prediction of) your baby’s sex and not a full genetic workup, you might be better off using an at-home gender DNA kit. But they’re genetic screening tools first and foremost. They identify your baby’s gender because some genetic conditions are sex-based. Although people casually call them gender blood tests, that’s not their primary purpose. The only caveat? You can’t take one of these blood tests just to find out your baby’s sex. They also have a low rate of false positivity. You’ll receive results only for a limited number of abnormalities - making it a not-great choice for people with concerns about other rarer conditions.īut the accuracy for these tests is about 90 percent for Down and Edward syndrome, per a 2015 study. Your doctor can tell you which NIPT is available to you.ĭespite what you might think based on how easy-peasy this all is, most NIPTs are actually quite accurate. Some offer slightly more advanced screening, and some differentiate between abnormalities found in baby’s DNA versus your DNA while others don’t. Several companies provide these NIPTs to practitioners. You only need to be 9 or 10 weeks pregnant, depending on the specific test used. In theory, any genetic abnormalities related to those three chromosomal defects will appear in your baby’s DNA - and, therefore, in your sample. But now they’re now being offered more widely.īasically, you go to your doctor’s office or local lab and give a sample of your blood. These are three of the most common genetic fetal conditions.Ĭell-free DNA screenings, which reveal the likelihood of your baby having one of these genetic conditions, used to be recommended only to those with high-risk pregnancies. Because your baby’s DNA actually shows up in your blood, it can be used to screen for things like: Now expectant parents have another option.Ībout 10 years ago, researchers developed a much less invasive test called cell-free DNA screening. So, not ideal or worth the risk without other medical reasons… though they do also allow you to find out your baby’s sex before the 20-week ultrasound. These provide a pretty accurate picture of your baby’s genetic health, but they’re also invasive and carry a risk of miscarriage. In the past, the standard of care for those at risk for having a baby with certain genetic conditions or other complications was one of two genetic screenings performed in the first trimester: chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or an amniocentesis. Blood tests you can have done by your doctor
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