NIPT (from 10 Weeks)

NIPT stands for Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing. It is a blood test performed in pregnancy that analyses cell-free placental DNA circulating in the mother’s blood to estimate the chance of certain chromosome or genetic conditions in the baby.

NIPT can be done from 10 weeks of pregnancy onwards, and there is no upper limit. Most people have it between 10 and 14 weeks, which leaves time to plan any next steps if needed. Results take 5–7 days for Standard and Standard Plus, and 10–14 days for Advanced and Comprehensive (KNOVA). If you are not yet 10 weeks, an early pregnancy scan can confirm your dates first.

Results for Standard and Standard Plus NIPT are usually ready in 5–7 days, and for Advanced and Comprehensive (KNOVA) NIPT in 10–14 days. We will contact you as soon as your results are available and explain what they mean at your post-test follow-up. Occasionally the blood sample does not contain enough of the baby’s DNA to give a result, and a repeat blood test is needed. This is free of charge.

NIPT is a screening test, not a diagnostic test.

• Screening calculates the statistical probability (chance) that a pregnancy is affected by a condition. It is highly accurate but can produce “false positives” or “false negatives.”
• Diagnostic testing (such as amniocentesis or CVS) analyses the baby’s actual DNA to confirm a diagnosis with 100% certainty.

No. NIPT is a screening test, not a diagnostic test. A high-chance result usually needs confirmation with an invasive test (CVS or amniocentesis) to confirm the results of NIPT, as at times it can be a false positive.

For the common trisomies, especially trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome), NIPT is the most accurate screening test currently available. It detects over 99% of pregnancies affected by trisomy 21, with a false positive rate of around 0.04–0.1% for our Standard test, which is far lower than the combined (nuchal) test or blood-only screening. Detection and false positive rates vary between tests and conditions, as shown in our NIPT options table. No screening test is 100% accurate, so a higher chance result should be confirmed with CVS or amniocentesis.

You will be offered prompt post-test counselling, review of your ultrasound findings, and discussion of further testing. Depending on the result, diagnostic testing such as CVS or amniocentesis may be recommended.

No. A lower-chance result is reassuring for the conditions screened, but it does not exclude all chromosome conditions, all genetic syndromes, or structural abnormalities. Ultrasound scans remain very important.

No. NIPT complements ultrasound; it does not replace it. Ultrasound can identify structural findings, confirm viability and gestation, and sometimes detect features that may alter the most appropriate genetic testing pathway.

On the NHS in England, NIPT is not offered to everyone. It is offered as a second step if your NHS combined or quadruple screening test shows a higher chance result, and it screens only for Down’s, Edwards’ and Patau’s syndromes. Privately, you can choose NIPT from 10 weeks of pregnancy as your first screening test, with options that can also include sex chromosome conditions, selected microdeletions and single gene disorders.

No. You can book NIPT with us directly, without a referral from your GP or midwife. With your consent, we can send your results to your GP and midwife.

Our Pregnancy Scan + NIPT packages start from £425 for Standard NIPT, £475 for Standard Plus, £525 for Advanced and £900 for Comprehensive (KNOVA). Every package includes a pre-test consultation with your consultant, a pregnancy scan from 10 weeks, the NIPT blood test and a post-test follow-up. See our NIPT fees page for full details.

Yes, if you would like to know. All of our NIPT tests can report your baby’s gender, and Standard Plus and higher options also screen for sex chromosome conditions. If you would like to find out earlier, a separate early NIPT gender test is available from 7 weeks (on request). We will discuss what information you would like to receive at your pre-test consultation.

It is common to assume that screening for more conditions provides more peace of mind. However, the science works differently:

• The Rareness Factor: Conditions like Down syndrome (Trisomy 21) are relatively common. As a result, a “higher chance” NIPT result for T21 is very likely to be accurate.
• The Challenge of Rarity: As we screen for increasingly rare microdeletions or single-gene disorders, the “Positive Predictive Value” (the chance that a “higher chance” result is truly correct) decreases.
• Uncertainty: Testing for rarer conditions can sometimes lead to findings of uncertain clinical significance, which may require further investigation, additional scans, or invasive procedures to clarify.

Not necessarily. Expanded microdeletion screening may appeal to some families, but professional bodies do not recommend routine general population screening for microdeletion conditions because the evidence base is less robust than it is for common trisomies. It is best offered only after careful counselling.

KNOVA is an expanded cfDNA screening test that includes the common trisomies, sex chromosome aneuploidies, selected microdeletions, and a panel of single-gene disorders. It is designed to widen the scope of non-invasive prenatal screening, but it remains a screening test and requires careful interpretation and, where necessary, confirmatory diagnostic testing.

No. Published KNOVA eligibility criteria indicate limitations in some pregnancy settings. The manufacturer notes that singleton pregnancies from 10 weeks are eligible for the comprehensive screen, while twins and egg-donor IVF pregnancies have more restricted eligibility, and higher-order multiples are not eligible. Other maternal and pregnancy factors may also affect suitability.

Your result will typically be reported in one of two ways:

• Lower chance: This indicates that the chance of the condition being present is extremely low.
• Higher chance: This does not mean the baby has the condition. It means the screening has identified an increased likelihood that requires follow-up.

The best test depends on how much information you want, your views about broader screening, your pregnancy history, scan findings, family history, and whether you would want diagnostic testing if a screening result were abnormal. This is exactly why pre-test counselling is so important

Regardless of your result, you are not left alone to try and understand what your results mean. If your results indicate a higher chance, we will:

1. Discuss the results clearly and calmly.
2. Explain the next steps, which may include a follow-up ultrasound or a referral for diagnostic testing.
3. Provide ongoing support and counselling to ensure you have the information you need to make informed decisions for your family.