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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:
gunwalloe · 18/03/2014 14:57

jbrd did they charge you a extra £100 for the scan?

apparently theres a 50% chance they will get a result on the redraw, I really wanted to know the result before my nuchal but that's not going to happen now fingers crossed I get a decent result on the nuchal or I will be a nervous wreck for two weeks

ohthegoats · 18/03/2014 15:41

Oh that's rubbish. Does that mean that they think you were too early to have enough baby DNA in there? At least it's not another 2 week wait - it's only been 8 or 9 days?

No word from them on mine. Not going to ring, will just wait until the weekend I think.

gunwalloe · 18/03/2014 15:54

ohthegoats she didn't give a specific reason but did say that the further along you are the more baby dna you will have in your blood. Sadly I was in the 5% that doesn't get a result.

ohthegoats · 18/03/2014 19:51

Here's a mind-fuck for you (scuse the French) - they phoned me at 5.01pm, but I was in a Pump class at the gym. Tried to call back at 6, but no answer.

Eeeeeeek... what does that mean?

jessplussomeonenew · 18/03/2014 20:49

Ohthegoats, impossible I know but try not to panic - I and others have been called with good news so there's a very good chance that's all it is and you'll be able to put your mind at rest in the morning.

gunwalloe · 18/03/2014 21:16

Ohno ohthegoats what a nightmare! As Jess said we know they ring with good news to I've got my fingers crossed for you

JBrd · 18/03/2014 22:42

No, I didn't get charged extra for the extra scan - I was waiting for it, after what I read on here, all geared up to kick up a massive fuss if they dared to add the extra scan! But they didn't, I only paid the package.

Measurements all ok, bloods were taken, now the wait begins...

ohthegoats · 19/03/2014 09:31

My phone call was just to say that the results won't be in until next Tuesday. Still keeping appointment on Saturday though, don't want to have time off work/can't get in on another Saturday before I go on holiday. Annoying, but not bad news really.

ohthegoats · 22/03/2014 17:52

Well, I went for the NT part of the deal today. All is fine, low risk on everything, so hopefully the Harmony results will just confirm things.

I told them I can't get back into London if for some reason the Harmony results don't get enough DNA etc, because we're going on holiday. They took extra blood just in case, for free. Which I thought was pretty good.

gunwalloe · 22/03/2014 17:59

That's great news ohthegoats Did they talk through the whole scan? How long does it take for them to work out the risk score? Im so nervous for Monday now knowing I wont get a harmony result for 2 weeks.

Tranquilitybaby · 22/03/2014 18:00

Ah they'd great news! X

ohthegoats · 22/03/2014 18:23

He told us the risk score at the end, but said half way through (or about that), 'this is a good baby, all is well.. and I've seen your risk scores already and they are good too'. He hadn't mentioned them until that point, and again, I'd totally forgotten! Just being in a medical place makes me a numpty.

gunwalloe · 23/03/2014 11:28

Im the same I go thinking of all the questions I want to ask and get there and it all gets forgotten perhaps I should write a list and take it Monday

ohthegoats · 23/03/2014 22:04

Good luck tomorrow gunwalloe!

gunwalloe · 24/03/2014 16:22

Thank you ohthegoats all went well and I got a fab low risk score im so happy ive been smiling at random strangers all over London lol
They took a redraw of the blood but to be honest if it fails again I will be happy with the nuchal result and stay relaxed the sonographer talked me through the whole thing she oozed confidence and its made me feel at ease. Oh and in her opinion its a girl she showed us the nub which was totally parallel to the spine im so happy!!!

Tranquilitybaby · 25/03/2014 10:57

Aww brilliant news! How many weeks are you now? X

gunwalloe · 25/03/2014 11:17

Im 13 weeks today, have you had your test tranquillity?

How many others are waiting for there results?

KeepingTheFaith9 · 25/03/2014 11:52

Hello,

I have been following threads daily, having decided last week to opt for the harmony at the FMC. I had a viability scan there last month at 7 weeks as I suffered a miscarriage in July and had such a horrendous experience (the baby never developed beyond 5 weeks but I didn’t
discover this until my NHS scan at 12.5 weeks)

Decided to go for the harmony as the NHS can’t scan me until April 7th – when I shall be on hols and even if I wasn’t I will be 12 weeks by then, and if there is a concern from the scan, I realise I probably wouldn’t know until I am 14 weeks along owing to the delay in getting back results from the NHS.

After what happened last year, I just can’t be done with all this waiting around and more importantly psychologically it is very damaging to me on a daily basis.

I had the harmony blood test yesterday and another scan – all seems well, so far – it was nice to get some pictures to take away and the doctor (Dr Barbra I think was very pleasant and hugely reassuring) . Next Tues I return for the nuchal and then hopefully the blood results will follow soon after.

Yesterday was actually my third scan, and I am now 10 weeks and 4 days.

On Friday last I had my midwife booking appt and the MW took pity on me owing to me being highly emotional over my fears that the baby isn’t developing (owing the blighted ovum last summer) and kindly got me an appt with the sonographer at the hospital within an hour of my seeing her – which I was enormously relieved and grateful for.

Most days I oscillate between feeling ecstatic to still be pregnant and excited, to worrying that everything will either end tomorrow or that the tests will some come back with a high risk factor. I know everything is beyond my control, but it doesn’t stop me worrying – daily.

It is nice to have found this thread, the info and support is very heart warming. Good luck everyone.

Daytona79 · 25/03/2014 12:32

Hello I got my NHS results yesterday of a risk of 1:342, my NT measurement was 1.8mm , I've no idea what bloods where as it never said in my letter.

Im 34, so I rang the number on letter which is for my local maternity hospital and they seen me this morning to do the Harmony,

They just do it at the normal anti nat clinic, take blood that is then package it up with forms and gave it back to me to post to London who then send it on to USA, then USA bill me direct once ive got results it going to cost £395

Its going to be a long two week, I hope everything is ok.

time2deal · 25/03/2014 13:06

Hi,
Thought I would join you as I'm stressing here about Harmony results. I'm scheduled to go back in on Thursday for results. Does anyone know if you tend to get bad news quicker? I know for all my other tests if it's good news they tell you at the next appointment, but if it's bad they tend to call straight away. I'm clinging to this as a hope that all is well!

I had the test done as I need major surgery this week (Week 12) and was advised to be sure the pregnancy was viable before going through the surgery. I'm 37, TTC for almost 4 years and this is an IVF pregnancy, so desperately wanted. No other risk factors other than age, but I can't help stressing myself silly!

JBrd · 25/03/2014 13:42

time2 I'm also currently waiting for the results of the Harmony test! Going back to the FMC next week to do the nuchal scan, I hope that they will have them by then. I've heard that sometimes, they get the results back sooner and then call you, but I've heard nothing so far. My main risk factor is also age.

Daytona I didn't know that they do the test at 'regular' hospitals as well! But you still have to pay for it, though? Fingers crossed that you get good results - I thought that 1:342 is still considered low risk, so hopefully, all will be fine.

I have to say, though, as good as the FMC is, I think that they could do better when dealing with their patients. I just had my NHS 12-week scan, and it was brilliant - the sonographer explained everything in great detail, showed us everything and was really kind and lovely.
At the FMC, the lady who scanned me (twice), didn't say half as much, she just whisked through with everything, barely saying anything other than 'There's the baby'. Hmph. I'm quite jealous of all of you who seemed to have had much more communicative doctors there!

JBrd · 25/03/2014 13:46

KeepingTheFaith I meant to say, come and join us on the pregnant after miscarriage(s) thread over in the pregnancy section, there is lots of hand-holding and support to be had. The reassurance I have been getting there in the last few weeks has been amazing.
And there is also a 'RMC Due in October thread' in the Antenatal clubs section, which is similar, just for people who are due in October (but lots of September people as well, it's not that strict).

Tranquilitybaby · 25/03/2014 14:12

gunwalloe oh no I'm not pregnant yet, just following the thread as being 36, I def do want to have The Harmony test done as well as the nuchal I always have. X

Daytona79 · 25/03/2014 14:15

Hello

Yes my local NHS hospital takes the blood for you and fills out the forms etc, then gives it to you to post off to USA, results go back to hospital to give who then give them to me. USA bills me direct for payment.

My local hospital said they are doing loads of them, for women worried about risks if CV etc.

If I googled harmony for my area nothing comes up on Internet , I only found out as I mentioned it when getting blood test for 12 weeks scan and they told me oh if you want it we will do it for you

So worth asking at local NHS hospital if they can help you out.

The nearest private place was in Glasgow and I'm in aberdeen so over 2 hours away and it was £750 but I only will pay £395

time2deal · 25/03/2014 14:20

Apparently my hospital (Hammersmith) is 'about' to start offering Harmony tests. I'm not sure if it would only be after a high risk result, but they did say it was supposed to be available but was being held up due to red tape. But hopefully will be there soon - too late for us so we didn't get much detail.

JBrd, I wasn't too impressed with the 10 week scan at FMC, although nice pictures. The guy was nice enough, but he did the internal scan where I couldn't see the screen, and then went to finish up without showing me anything!! So I asked him to show me the baby on the screen before he removed the probe. He was weirdly uncomfortable about the whole internal scan thing, whereas I was fine with it! Plenty of internal scans when IVF'ing.