Harmony prenatal test - anyone know about it

[RTchoke]

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.

Sorry you had to go through that keepingthefaith it must have been awful :( I was in the FMC yesterday we may have crossed paths!

timetodeal I had a call after 8 days to say my test had failed and I had to have blood redrawn a lady that had her bloods taken a day before me was called the same day to day her results would be 3 days late if you've not had a call it should be there on time you could always give them a call to check.

tranquillity good luck with your ttc :)

jrb and timetodeal my 10 week scans weren't that long I think all they are looking for is the heart beat to check if its ok to do the harmony test. The nuchal is a lovely long appointment and they talk you through it as they work there was through I came out so relieved. Im contrast my NHS failed attempt at a nuchal was a joke she couldn't even date the pregnancy accurately and told me the wrong nuchal number and was secret squirrel with everything I asked complete waste of time. I suppose you get good and bad people on there good and bad days!

Thanks JBrd. I will check out the other forum - it's good to know I'm not alone in my fears and anxieties.

Gunwallow - I was there right at the end of the day feeling like a billy no mates as my husband couldn't make it!!
My nuchal is next Tues 1st at 4.30.

Firstly my Harmony results were delayed by 3 or 4 days, and then they were one of the ones that were failed (5%). In the meantime, I'd been for my nuchal scan, which had good results, and while I was there, they took more blood 'just in case'. So, I'm back to the waiting... I'm worrying less about it now, but I would quite like something to show for my £250!

I've enjoyed all my scans there to be honest, felt that I got loads of time and information. We also enjoyed the fact that everyone else in the waiting room looked older and MUCH MUCH posher than us, and that we looked like tramps in comparison. I appreciate this is shallow, but it made me giggle at a time when I was nervous!

Sorry to hear that you didn't get the test results goats Will they try to do the Harmony again? They took 3 lots of blood from me, in case the first attempt at the Harmony failed.
Will they offer the 'usual' combined nuchal + bloods screening to you instead?

I know how you feel about feeling out of place in the waiting room I've also felt like that, especially when seeing the jewellery some of the ladies were wearing! But at the end of the day, they are probably all just as anxious and frightened as we are...

I'm back there on Tuesday for my nuchal scan and -hopefully- the test results! However, I'm actually doubting that it will beat the truly amazing NHS 12-week scan that I've had on Tuesday

keepingthefaith I was there in the morning good luck on the 1st :)

Oh no goats what a pain! Ive read that if it fails again you get a £250 refund if myn fails again I will use the refund to get a 20 week scan there as they really put me at ease with the nuchal.

I was also a scruffy mess when I went for my appointment all the ladies looked like high flying business types and there was me in cropped jeans

Good luck for Tuesday jbrd

Hey everyone,
I've changed my nuchal to Monday as I don't want to keep making excuses to leave early and I rang them to see if they have an earlier apt and they offered me Mon a@ 5.30 so taking that.
It will be 7 days (5 working days) since my harmony bloods then and I am really hoping the nuchal goes okay and that the bloods are back before I go off on hols next Thurs eve....
Keeping the Faith - literally!
I too worry about my appearance when I'm at the FMC!!!! but then I remember, as you say JBrd - everyone in there is probably far more concerned about their results than anything else, despite what I think they look like! LOL!
Good luck ladies. Keep us all posted.
Take care.

I have just had the results from my NHS combined scan & bloods - 1:17 risk for Down's

The FMC have not got my Harmony results yet (just called them), but the lady said that they should be there by Tuesday, when I have my appointment. I begged her that they let me know if they arrive sooner, but she only said that they would call me if the result is 'bad', otherwise the doctor will tell me everything at the scan date.

The waiting now has a new dimension...

ohno Jbrd do the NHS give you your blood results? Did they tell you the nuchal result? ive got my fingers crossed for you that everything will be ok

JB, sorry to hear about that - I can only recommend trying to remember that it's still 17/18 chance that all is well, and keeping as busy as possible until you get the results. Do you know what your measurement and blood results were? At least you've already had the Harmony bloods taken so the waiting is a bit shorter. I think it's a bit mean of them not to call you with good news and leave you in unnecessary suspense!

Hey Jbrd. I am no expert but it seems to me that the NHS results are often quite dramatically different to those from the harmony and FMC nuchal so I remain highly hopeful that all will be well.
Sending you lots of positive vibes and a cyber hug. We should get our FMC results around the same time so will be thinking of you daily. Take care. KTF

Keep positive JBrd, the likelihood is the results will be gone xxx

Thanks, all. Nuchal at the NHS screen was 1.1mm, but it's my bloods that really push the risk up - PappA 0.14 MoM, bhcG 1.14. The PappA is really low... My age alone puts me at a risk of 1:60, so I guess it doesn't take much to get it even further up.

Called the FMC yesterday, but my results are not in yet. Receptionist lady assured me that they would be there by Tuesday, when I have my nuchal scan there. I literally begged her to let me know if they do arrive earlier, but she wasn't very committing, saying they would call me if something was 'wrong'...

Really rooting for you JBrd. I can imagine the wait is difficult. I feel like the weekend can't go quick enough, yet at the same time I am nervous as hell for my results.
Its very difficult to concentrate isn't it.... my husband is being very supportive but from a total distance, he doesn't really get it. I have told very few people so there isn't really anyone who is in the know.
Anyway, enough of me. Jbrd I feel very hopeful for you and am sending you lots of positive thoughts. I am not a religious person but at times like these I believe in the power of prayer, sending one out there for you.
Take care, KTF

The FMC just rang me - the Harmony test has failed, they did not get enough fetal blood from mine.

FFS.

Now all they will do is do the nuchal scan and repeat the combined risk analysis with that.

Oh no jbrd I'm starting to wonder if the 5% is accurate given how many of us on this thread have had failed tests.
Are they going to do a redraw of blood for you?

Well, I think that if I want a repeat, then it will count as a new test and be paid for as such.

I had so hoped that the Harmony would be able reassure me, but no such luck.
The FMC doctor assured me that they get much more accurate results than the NHS, but a blood test is a blood test - my nuchal is fine. But apparently, they will be looking for other markers on the scan, too.

I'm beginning to think that 10 weeks is too early for the Harmony test, given how many people seem to struggle to get a result from that.

I was given a free redraw and that was on Monday. Have they given you a refund? They really are good doing the nuchal and totally honest as she checked for each thing she talked us through it. In contrast the NHS lady wouldn't tell me a thing I had to ask 3 times for my nuchal measurement ( which was wrong anyway FMC measured it 3mm less )she wouldn't confirm the nasal bone or if she had seen any markers it was very frustrating.
You will be in good hands on Tuesday good luck

JBird - sorry to hear that, how annoying. What are your options now? They may offer you CVS at FMC when you go in for your next scan - from what I've read in other places, they will offer that to you on the day, giving you chance to leave for awhile and think about it. Just keep remembering the positives... 16 out of 17 chance it'll be fine, your age skews things and false positives are high (which is why we went Harmony in the first place, right?).

I got a free re-draw too. I'm starting to assume that they'll come back 'not possible' again, which means we need to go through our nuchal stuff and see if we're happy with those risks. I am, I just don't know if my boyfriend will be.

I'm also starting to think that the key thing that needs to be sorted in all this antenatal testing, is speed. Two weeks is too long to wait - WHY does it take so long? I get it going to the states for Harmony, but still.. a week max, surely.

jbrd what a blow about the harmony / I can confirm too that the redraw is free at the FMC (I asked, but thankfully didn't need). IIRC though if you did want a cvs they only do on a Wednesday (the prof does them then) or on a Friday. I echo what others have said about the quality of the nuchal scan there. My scan and what they look at took me up from a 1 in 34 to 1 in 700 (age 43), which would have been good enough for me on its own, without the harmony. Will be thinking of you on Tuesday - I must say that when the nuchal is so low but the bloods skew things, the outcome is usually good.

Hello everyone,

can I ask what you think about whether I should bother with the Harmony test or not?

I am 41yo, just had the NS my result is 1:520. My doctor said the NT was good 1.6mm (although the baby had the cord around his neck and they couldn't measure at the right spot, they had to measure above and below and average - I was told this is a usual complication that shouldn't affect the results), my bloods were supposed to be good (I haven't been sent the full results yet) but my age is supposed to have pushed the results a bit.

Is there any point in doing the Harmony for extra peace of mind (I am 16wks now) or should I just be happy with 1:520? I live in France and would have to fly over to London for the test, but it's not such a big deal. I'm aware of the cost, but in the grand scheme of things I'd rather pay for more information than not.

booboostoo its really hard to give advice as I myself am a overly anxious person and had the harmony before I even knew my risk.
Are you happy with your result? I think that's the most important thing to think about.

I am not sure gunwalloe. I don't know if the result is fine and I am being negative and stressy, or the result should be investigated further but I am burying my head in the sand. Rationally if I had a diagnosis of a baby with Downs I think I would terminate, emotionally I would rather not have to make the choice so ignorance is bliss - does that make sense? Am I using this result to re-assure myself so that I avoid having more information which might be negative or is the result fine and I am needlessly stressing?

Thank you diege I am now trying to just take one day at a time, trying to focus on tomorrow and what results it will bring me. My problem is that even if I get a better result after the nuchal scan at the FMC, I'm not sure I could put it out of my mind that my blood results are not good... I need to do some more research to find out what can influence the Papp-A and bhcG levels. The well known ones (smoking, diabetes, bleeding, being overweight) don't apply to me, so I'm wondering what else could push the levels down/up...
To make things worse, DH is away from today until Wednesday

I will definitely ask for a redraw for the Harmony test, even if I have to pay for it - I think I get a refund for the failed test, as I was on the package, so I can put that money towards a repeat, if I have to.

booboostoo Personally, I think that your results are very good - but I am prejudiced due to my own being nowhere near that good!
If you re-calculate this, wouldn't a 1:520 risk not transform into a 0.2% chance for Down's? Which looks really good to me!
Can you find out your blood test results? I agree that your age will be pushing the numbers, maybe it's worth asking them if they can calculate the risk without the age factor? Your NT result is nice and low.
But I understand the worrying...

JB, hope you manage to find some path to reassurance - so sorry the Harmony test didn't work.

Your Papp-A results are very close to mine (0.16), which is really quite low, and I suspect that's primarily what is driving your higher risk result. When I asked FMC told me the different risks they'd calculated based on the scan/bloodwork which were wildly different in my case (1/6 based on bloods, 1/3000 based on scan, giving a combined risk of 1/53 for Edwards). Might be worth asking them how they calculated your results. I had lower than normal Bhcg which is why they were concerned about Edwards more than Downs in my case.

I've looked into Papp-A a bit - don't want to add to your worries but if you're going to be googling it anyway it might be best to be forewarned that googling it (as is so often the case) can be a bit unnecessarily alarming so try to keep it in perspective! Not very much is known about Papp-A but it seems to be related to the placenta - it is sometimes associated with a smaller/less efficient placenta. However, most women with low Papp-A have perfectly healthy babies - this is true even for levels as low as ours - where there is no apparent explanation for the low Papp-A. I heard one suggestion that some women just metabolise Papp-A more quickly than others so the levels in their blood are just lower. Anyway, FMC recommended that I got a bit more monitoring/scans in the last trimester for reassurance, so I've asked for this to be done.

Hang on in there and I really hope you get some good news soon.