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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

MNHQ have commented on this thread

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

MNHQ have commented on this thread

Pregnancy

Has anyone had the new Harmony test? Would you recommend it? How much more advanced is it than the nuchal test?

12 replies

GotAnyGrapes · 18/03/2013 14:21

Hi, I'm 42 and just discovered I'm pregnant again. Very nervous this time around and have been thinking about the cvs or amino. Just been reading up on the new harmony test which looks fantastic. Claims of 99% accuracy which sounds amazing for a non-invasive test. So just wondered if anyone had had one. Is it that accurate? Is it very expensive? Do I need to travel to London? Oh and can it tell me the sex of the baby? No too bothered as I have 2 of each but I was in the process of getting rid of all the baby stuff as we thought we were done and I'd like to know which bits to keep. Thanks

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GotAnyGrapes · 18/03/2013 14:23

Bloody iPad! That title should say nuchal test, not unchallenged test. Bloody auto correct. Wonder if mnhq would change it?

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GotAnyGrapes · 18/03/2013 14:39

Bump as its very fast moving here today

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RebeccaMumsnet · 18/03/2013 15:59

We've edited this for you now as you asked so nicely

Bump

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crikeybadger · 18/03/2013 16:24

Just bumping for you as I know there are some mumsnetters who've had this done. From memory it's between £400-£600. If you search Harmony test + mumsnet, you'll bring up some other threads about it.

Good luck with it all.

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Dexidoo · 18/03/2013 18:16

Hi Grapes
I went to London for Harmony testing at the end of January. I'm 34 second pg after an early mc last year. Decided to go for Harmony testing as medical background =neurotic and also wanted to find out as early as possible if invasive testing was advisable.
Harmony gives you a much clearer risk assessment as it looks at fetal dna in maternal blood it is still not diagnostic but as close as it comes I was told 99.9% ie 1 in 10 000. There is a bigger grey area in the NT risk assessment so a bigger risk of having an unnecessary CVS or amnio.
There are several centres around UK now doing the test in major cities prices vary from £400-750 from what I have heard but there is a package deal at the fetal medicine centre on Harley street- I paid £180 and got harmony plus NT tests. You need to have blood taken between 10-11 weeks ( i think) and then go back for scan and results 2 weeks later.
I really recommend the clinic they were great and getting a reassuring result at 12 weeks really helped reduce my anxieties.
Was well worth the exhausting 5 hour round trip!

www.fetalmedicine.com/fmc/

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sleepyhead · 18/03/2013 18:22

There are quite a few threads on this under Antenatal Tests & Choices.

I'm in Scotland and we couldn't afford it anyway, but I think it sounds great. As far as I understand it, it's about as close to a conclusive results as you can get without an invasive test and with no risk to the baby.

I had an amnio and it was very stressful waiting for the results and the period where there was an increased miscarriage risk to pass. I think this test is sensitive enough that I would have trusted the results had it been available to me.

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GotAnyGrapes · 19/03/2013 10:01

Hi everyone. Sorry to post and run but got a call just before the end of school to say DD1 had fallen off a fence! Nasty cut, 2 stitches and lots of cuddles and chocolate and she's back at school today.

Thank you, RebeccaMN! And sorry for the mini rant!
Thank you for the bump Crikeybadger and for the the info Sleepyhead.
Dexidoo, thanks. Good to know it was reassuring for you. I have had lots of recommendations for the FMC. I'd rather not have to travel to London mainly due to being excessively sick around that point in my pregnancy but I'd rather not have an invasive test either.

There seems to be conflicting information as to whether you can find out the sex. Does anyone know if that's possible? I'm not really bothered as have both already but would help to know. Though of course, I could have a gender scan at just 16wks as well. Just all adds up. Thanks everyone!

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GotAnyGrapes · 19/03/2013 10:41

Just read through all the long thread in antenatal results section. Lots of positive reviews of the test and it would seem that it's very accurate. Still unsure about the sex thing though. I'll phone FMC and see if they're still offering their good deal.

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DachsandPup · 19/03/2013 10:42

Technically they can find out the sex because they are testing the fetal DNA, but they won't tell you what it is. I was talking to my obstetrician yesterday about it and he said that they won't tell you because of people using it as a gender selection tool. So even though the information is available you can't use the Harmony test to find out the gender.

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DachsandPup · 19/03/2013 10:43

And the FMC are still offering the deal - I just booked mine

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GotAnyGrapes · 19/03/2013 10:53

Thanks dachsandpups. Good to know they're still doing the deal. I'll get on the phone. Crazy about not telling you the sex. I mean you're paying for the sex and you could have a cvs at the same stage and find out the sex! I also know two people who have asked at their private nuchal scan and been told correctly.

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GotAnyGrapes · 19/03/2013 10:58

Paying for the test not paying for the sex Though I do sometimes have to cook him dinner and bring him a beer beforehand!