Prenatal Screenings / Testing

Harmony Prenatal Testing (NIPT)

What Is Harmony Prenatal Testing (NIPT)?

Did you know that pieces of your baby's DNA circulate in your bloodstream? Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing involves taking a sample of the mothers blood to identify if they are at an increased risk of giving birth to a child with a genetic disorder. The test can be taken as early as ten weeks into the pregnancy and screens for Down Syndrome (trisomy 21) and two other rare genetic disorders called Patau Syndrome/trisomy 13 and Edward’s Syndrome/ trisomy 18. The Harmony Prenatal Test is also the only NIPT that can screen for abnormalities in twins and if fertility treatment has been used such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), surrogacy, or sperm donor.

How Does Harmony Prenatal Testing (NIPT) Work?

As the most studied and proven NIPT in the world, Harmony’s Prenatal Test offers a safe and highly accurate screening for genetic disorders. For Down Syndrome, it is more than 99% accurate with a false positive rate of less than 1%. Other prenatal diagnostic tests such as amniocentesis involve sampling the amniotic fluid or placenta and pose an increased risk of miscarriage. Harmony’s NIPT offers a safe, fast, and highly effective screening test by taking a small vial of blood from the mothers arm and is sent off to a lab where a technician will look at the blood sample to identify any abnormalities. Results can come back as early as 7-10 business days. Book your test today through our booking system below.

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What are prenatal screening tests? 

There are a number of different pregnancy screening tests that either your doctor may recommend or you may choose to have carried out during the course of your pregnancy. The majority of these tests are conducted within the first and second trimesters and can be used to check for infections, blood type, and determine the likelihood of your baby having a genetic disorder or chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome.

We offer blood and urine collections for routine first and second-trimester screening, including routine communicable diseases (Hep B, Hep C, HIV, Syphilis, Varicella, Rubella, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea) and can also do most collections for induced hypertension (PIH) labs. Please note, at this time we are unable to collect for the gestational diabetes test but are always looking to expand our offerings.  

Once you have your requisitions from your health care provider come and visit Ichor for your collections!

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Do you also collect pregnancy test samples? 

Ichor is proud to provide pregnancy test sample collection as part of its Calgary lab collection services. If you have taken a home pregnancy test and are looking to confirm your pregnancy through lab testing, you can book with Ichor to skip the public health line. 
 

How do pregnancy tests work? 

Ichor can collect samples for both urine and blood beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) tests as part of our lab collection services. Beta HCG is a hormone that the placenta produces during pregnancy, which usually appears in your blood around the time you miss your period and in your urine around 10 days later. 

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What prenatal screening tests can you collect samples for? 

Our blood collection and urine collection services can cover a wide variety of samples that are needed for a number of different prenatal screening tests. These include: 

Syphilis serology

All pregnant women should be screened for syphilis early on in their pregnancy via a blood test. If left untreated, syphilis during pregnancy has been linked to stillbirth, newborn death (death before 28 days of life), neurological impairment, and bone deformities. 

Hepatitis B surface antigen

This screening test checks for the hepatitis B virus (HBP) to make sure it is not present within the pregnant woman and at risk of being passed onto their child. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that targets the liver and can lead to either acute or chronic diseases such as liver failure or cirrhosis. 

Varicella (chickenpox) immunity (Varicella IgG)

Pregnant women who contract chickenpox can put both themselves and their baby at serious risk. For the mother, complications such as pneumonia are possible, while the baby can be at risk for birth defects depending on when it’s infected. This screening test will determine whether the mother is immune or has had the vaccine. 

Rubella immunity (rubella IgG)

Best known for its distinctive red rash, rubella usually presents mild or no symptoms in most people. However, unborn babies can have serious health problems if their mother is infected with rubella during pregnancy, and it has been known to cause encephalitis. This blood test will determine if the mother is immune to the viral infection or has received a vaccine for it. 

HIV serology

This blood test screens the mother for HIV, which can be passed onto their child during either pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. HIV attacks the immune system of its host, weakening the body’s natural defence system making the infected person much more susceptible to life-threatening infections. 

First-trimester screening

The first-trimester screening test requires two blood samples to be completed. Combined with ultrasound, these blood tests are used to screen and assess a pregnant woman’s risk of carrying a baby with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) or trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome). 

ABO/Rh (blood type)

This screening test determines if the mother and baby are compatible when it comes to their blood types and Rh factor. Rh incompatibility can cause the mother’s immune system to view the cells of her baby as foreign and may result in her immune system attacking those cells. 

Red blood cell (RBC) antibody screen

This test screens a mother for antibodies in her blood that are directed against red blood cells. Much like Rh incompatibility, these antibodies may target your developing baby.

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