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Harmony non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
Harmony NIPT screens for the most common chromosomal conditions with 99% accuracy and can be carried out as early as ten weeks into your pregnancy.
It’s non-invasive, just requiring a single maternal blood test, so presents no danger to your baby.
Want to know if this is for you? You can talk to one of our fertility experts.
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What is the Harmony test?
The Harmony test is the most accurate of all NIPT tests, and involves the analysis of a blood sample taken from as early as week ten of your pregnancy.
The test works by looking at fragments of your baby’s DNA present in your blood to detect any risk of your baby having one of the most common chromosomal conditions – Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome or Patau’s syndrome (Trisomy 21,18 and 15).
Traditional blood tests during pregnancy can miss around 20% of Down’s syndrome cases, but the Harmony test is 99% accurate.
It also has a higher detection rate than the nuchal translucency scan, and a much lower false positive rate.
This means fewer patients are recommended to have amniocentesis or chorionic villous sampling (CVS) to confirm a high-risk result.
The Harmony test can also determine the sex of your baby.
In the case of twins, a male result means that at least one of the babies is a male, whereas a female result confirms both babies are female.
Who can have a Harmony test?
Harmony NIPT is suitable for all single and twin pregnancies.
Patients who have a high chance of carrying a single or twin pregnancy with a chromosomal abnormality are advised to have the test to avoid any unnecessary invasive procedures.
Are there any risks?
The Harmony test just involves a simple, non-invasive blood test so there’s no risk to you or your baby.
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Speak to us today
If you have any questions about the Harmony test, or which of our TFP Fertility clinics offer it, please use our contact form. This is an important moment in your fertility journey and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Do I need any other prenatal screening tests?
Harmony NIPT shouldn’t replace the nuchal translucency scan that’s usually carried out at 12 weeks.
Together they give reassurance about how the baby is developing.
For this reason, at TFP Fertility UK we always combine the Harmony test with an ultrasound scan.
How quickly will I find out the results?
It takes 7-10 days for results of your Harmony test to be ready.
We understand this will be an anxious wait for you and we’ll be here if you have any questions or concerns during that time.
When you receive your results, they will be in the form of a probability score, rather than a diagnosis.
Most women receive a low probability result, less than 1 in 10,000, meaning the test didn’t find evidence of any specific chromosomal conditions.
If you have a low-risk result you should still attend your 12-week NHS nuchal scan and advise them that a Harmony test has been performed.
A high-risk result is anything higher than a 1 in 500 chance of chromosomal conditions being present, and if you receive this result, we’ll talk you through the options and inform your booking hospital so they can arrange a referral for further testing.
You’ll be offered a diagnostic test, usually chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or possibly amniocentesis, and this will determine conclusively whether or not your pregnancy is affected.
How much does the Harmony test cost?
You can find a detailed price list for all treatments and procedures on each TFP Fertility clinic page.
Find your nearest clinic, or use our contact form to request a confidential chat about your circumstances, whether a Harmony NIPT is right for you, and to take you through the cost.
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