Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Antenatal tests

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.

Original poster

Harmony prenatal test - anyone know about it

830 replies

RTchoke · 29/10/2012 05:41

today I am having a new kind of prenatal test called Harmony. It's non-invasive and seems to just be a new kind of blood test plus the regular nuchal scan but it's much more accurate than the traditional nuchal blood test. Apparently it's nearly as accurate as a CVS but without any risk.

I'm the only person I know who is having this test and nobody else seems to have heard of it let alone have been offered it. I just wondered if others have and knowledge of it and how accurate it is.

OP posts:
Toptack · 30/03/2013 16:26

Just noticed that this test is now available at "this is my:" clinics in Leeds, Manchester, Hull and Sheffield. Still eye-wateringly expensive but may save someone a long trip!

BadMissM · 31/03/2013 13:39

Diege It's about a ten minute walk from Euston.... really straightforward. If not, cross the road from Euston station to the bus stop over the crossing and look for buses that go past the end of Harley St, down Marylebone Rd. The 30 does, but I would check here www.tfl.gov.uk/ for others. Put in Regent's Park Station as destination.

You can go by tube, but the number of changes make it a PITA.

If you are coming from Oxford St, the 30 and 73 both come back past.....

The buses also tell you the stops...

BadMissM · 31/03/2013 13:43

Diege There is a sign, but it's a little brass plaque....if you print off the FMC's directions leaflet, it's quite accurate!

Diege · 31/03/2013 14:53

Thanksbadmiss! That's reassuring about the short walk; much prefer over the tube if the latter is a faff. I have a feeling I passed it a few yrs ago when I had a meeting at Portland Place - I remember thinking oooh Harley Street...
Will go on walkit.com to get fool-proof directions!!!

Polarbear72 · 02/04/2013 18:20

I am having a nightmare... I booked myself in for the Harmony test and the results are inconclusive so I have to go back Friday for another blood test, I will be 13 weeks. I had my Nuchal scan on the NHS last week as I was wanting a comparison and they couldn't do it because the baby was not in the right place and the screen was not clear. All they could offer me was to come back when I am 16 weeks for a quad test. We have told no one that I am pregnant and I am not sure if I can hide it much longer. Feeling like everything is against me. To not have any reassurances from one is bad enough but two is just not fair :(

LemonPeculiarJones · 02/04/2013 22:34

Oh no Polarbear poor you Sad So stressful. More waiting - that's so hard.

What about a detailed scan at the FMC (or wherever you had the harmony tests done)? Looking for multiple soft markers, nasal bone etc? The scan alone reassured us so much, before we got the harmony results.

Polarbear72 · 02/04/2013 22:48

Thanks LPJ

I am due to have a nuchal scan Friday at the FMC so hopefully that will help but I was really wanting to know I was in the clear before telling anyone. I am just finding it very upsetting not getting any reassurances from anywhere. I have explained my concerns to the NHS as I am 40 bit they just don't seem to think that they should re-scan ne as it's not in their policy to do so. I was never out of the scan room from week 6-9 due to suspected heterotopic pregnancy!! Sorry for the woe is me. Had a good son earlier. Thanks again.

LemonPeculiarJones · 02/04/2013 23:23

Polarbear we too intended not to tell anyone (other than the close people who already knew) until we had the harmony tests back, but the scan at the FMC was so very reassuring that we announced it the next day Smile The harmony test results ten days later just confirmed what the scan had suggested. You might be feeling much more confident after your scan on Friday!

I'm 40 too btw. Age heavily biases the odds we're given, it can be so misleading.

Best of luck.

Polarbear72 · 02/04/2013 23:51

Thanks LPJ

It does help hearing your experience.. I shall report back on Friday..

The scan machines at the FMC are much better than the NHS unfortunately so fingers crossed...

lovelylara · 03/04/2013 16:28

Thanks for the info.

I have booked the Harmony test at the FMC for £180. However, I'm wondering whether to cancel as the (free!) test offered by UCH, London seems very similar (see point 5 in particular):
www.uclh.org/PandV/PIL/Patient%20information%20leaflets/11-14%20week%20scan.pdf

Is that correct, or have I misunderstood?!

Diege · 03/04/2013 16:58

Hi! Back from harmony appointment Smile. Very impressed with the FMC. The dr who did the scan was gorgeous very professional and did a remarkably detailed scan too. All seems fine, although I panicked a little when baby was dated at 11 weeks (and not the 10 wks 4/5 days I;d thought) as worried that that would make me exempt from £180 offer Blush He didn't seem to think so so just paid up and ran Grin He did have a look at the nuchal, though just said it was fine,and a few other bits and pieces. Plus he said he's pretty sure it's a girl - based on some complicated angle-theory or summat...
Sooo back now in 2 weeks for results and nuchal. They take bloods for nuchal on day they take harmony bloods too, so will have all the figures in at next appointment. Nervous now!

Diege · 03/04/2013 17:00

Will try and look now at your link Lara.

BadMissM · 03/04/2013 18:53

So glad it all went well, diege! It's so reassuring!

Diege · 03/04/2013 20:29

Thanks badmiss Smile. A lot easier to find than I had thought, so thanks again for your directions.Got there 20 mins early and it hadn't opened yet, so decided to go and find a cash point. I think it took me longer to get to the other end of Harley Street than from Euston - what a long street!

Diege · 03/04/2013 20:48

Sorry lara, can't open the pdf file Confused My computer is old and knackered..

BadMissM · 05/04/2013 17:09

Lara, the scan at UCH looks amazingly thorough (my trust don't even offer nuchal/combined), but I'd still say that the Harmony Test offers more reassurance on top of the scan....

Polarbear72 · 05/04/2013 18:04

Lemonpeculiarjones I had the scan today and my bloods are fine, no markers that the Dr could see and my risk is 1/1290. I know that's good for my age but I still need those harmony tests to feel really at ease. I must say though that this baby is very, very stubborn. Three attempts today to try and get all the measurements done. Kept hiding, showing it's bum, curling up, turning it's back. No wonder the Dr kept refering to it as a he Wink. My husband is pleased and wants to tell people. I have decided to have my 20 week scan done at the FMC as it's just so much better than the NHS.

Diege · 05/04/2013 18:52

polarbear I too am considering having my 20 week scan at the FMC after a positive experience there this week. I had a chat with the dr about what they look for as I work in screening and am aware of the controversy over some soft markers (the NHS are finally getting the message and I was worried that the FMC might look for too much if that makes sense? )The Dr reassured me that they too now ignore lots of the old soft markers.This reassures me, plus then fact that the person doing the scan at the FMC can discuss findings. I'd rather that than some stressed sonographer in the NHS telling me I have to see the consultant the following week to discuss the significance of the findings if there is something worrying...
One step at a time though...will get harmony results when I go back for my nuchal at the FMC on the 17th.

LemonPeculiarJones · 05/04/2013 19:31

Polarbear that's so great Smile Fantastic odds and it is the age factor stopping them for being in the higher thousands (doc at FMC told me this, my odds after the FMC scan/bloods was much the same as yours). Understand you wanting to wait to be extra sure - but such good news!

Good luck for the 17th Diege Smile

LemonPeculiarJones · 05/04/2013 19:32

*was = were, natch!

Polarbear72 · 05/04/2013 19:34

Diege it just seems to me that the Dr's at the FMC are more confident that the sonographer's I have come across in the NHS. I have had a number of problems with this pregnancy which resulted in numerous scans on the NHS which I am now not sure were warranted and I am now refusing NHS tests on that basis. I am not knocking the NHS, they do a great job but they spent all of ten minutes trying to do my NT scan to tell me I was too fat for an adominal scan (hilarious) that an old scar (1cm if that) was blocking their view and that I was to come back at 16 weeks for a quad test, however, I was fighing the scanners off weeks 6-10 and I refused surgery!

Afraid I don't know anything about old markers and new markers.. My bloods were good, NT was 1.6, heart OK, nasal bone there. All the other bits were in the right place so I am hopeful that my Harmony (second one!) will come back OK.

Good luck with your results, my first set failed which just set me right off on a path of doom but the Dr thinks the second set will come back OK.

Polarbear72 · 05/04/2013 19:39

LemonPeculiarJones thanks for your good wishes.

Diege · 05/04/2013 20:23

I'm sure your results will be fine polar - when are they due back?
This is baby number 6 for me so I have had a lot of NHS maternity care. Like you, I wouldn;t knock the NHS staff , but they are restricted by time, which will inevitably have a knock on effect on the relationship they can build up with 'customers'. I didn't feel rushed at all with the DR at the FMC, asked all the questions I had thought up and more besides,and didn't feel for a minute rushed or like a paranoid mad pregnant womanGrin. We're not well off by any means, and the train fare to and from London is a couple of £100 in itself, but think the 20 week scan will be worth saving for (still pretty reasonable - £150 I think?)

Polarbear72 · 05/04/2013 21:16

Diege baby number six?! Have you not got a telly?!

This is my first pregnancy and at my age likely to be my only one... Despite two people at the FMC telling me I'll want another!

At my hospital the sonographers switch between the emergency gynae and the normal 12/20 week scans, they always seem to be rushing around. The 20 week scan at the FMC is £200.. I live in the south and it's on my way to work so very lucky in that respect.

I hope your results are good too :)

Polarbear72 · 16/04/2013 17:42

Well, my 2nd test also failed and they won't re-test so I am stuck with my NT test at 1/1290. Very disappointed!