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.

hi alma been thinking of u ...im not coping too well today.tmrw be 10 days since mine and i still aint heard....
been upset tonight......i want to know my baby is ok.
wish id never had screening test.now.worst wait ever.
pls let me know when u get call.
did they say how long it wld take? xx

Alm83 and Positive38 But it will all be worth it when you know xxxx

Results in and i cant tell u how happy we are
tested negative for all 3 Trisommeys.... so have gone from 1:34 to 1: 10,000
I have sobbed like a baby the past 10 days have been awful....
i can finally start enjoying our pregnany
ALma just waiting for your results now hun and i am behind u all the way xxx

Positive38
You cannot imagine how happy I am for you! Truly, I feel as if the results were for me! CONGRATULATIONS! Enjoy your pregnancy! It is a week for me today... I might get mine on Monday... really hope so!
Really really happy for you! :-)
xxxx

sticks head round door apprehensively...breathes sigh of relief at only good news since last login

Positive38 Wooooohoooooooo! Awesome result and I am totally thrilled for you. You must feel like a wrung-out rag with all the emotions...and it will be wonderful being able to chill out a bit. Now clear off and celebrate this excellent news by looking for something gorgeous for your ankle-biter! Big high-five. xx

Alm83 How are you bearing up halfway through your wait? I have been reeeeaaasonably calm this week, probably on some level saving my energy for an enormous neurotic anxiety-generated hissy fit for around next Wed/Thurs I reckon... Husband is completely, spookily calm and confident of a good result. I think I have eaten all the worry pies.

I am at the FMC next Fri 22nd too (12:30 appt) - will be keeping everything crossed for a brilliant result for us both. Sounds like you're planning to call them to get the bloods result beforehand? I have my NHS combined screening on Wed and was sort of thinking I would wait to get the FMC blood results until Fri when I see them, but actually, on reflection would rather get news in own home where can jump up and down / bawl eyes out without feeling embarrassed. Scary that somebody somewhere knows a result that will change our lives but we don't. Trying to jam my diary full of social stuff so I'm not at home on the lappie, catastrogoogling and trying to research myself into having a healthy baby. Thank goodness have stepkids this weekend - they are all sweet and funny and will take my mind off Next Week.

And how you doing BadMissM? Trust all well.

In other news, and not to hijack post too much - waded through all the posts on the 'Are people drinking alcohol when pregnant?' thread (compulsive like live soap opera) which the Mumsnet email highlighted. Ended up falling asleep at midnight and being exhausted all the next day because had to get to the end of the thread. Was a bit transfixed by the very very strong feelings and ironclad spiked judgy pants it generated and imagining the personalities involved. Lots of warm good sense and support for different choices on there too, which made me feel all warm and fuzzy about the community. Love Mumsnet - really glad I joined.

Anyhoo, enough witter from me. Sending e-hugs and sisterly solidarity to you lot, and to anyone following this thread who hasn't posted, because you almost certainly need some Mumsnet love too.

Bright blessings and buttered toasted teacakes. xx

alma ..thanks darling for kind wishes i think u are going to be ok..i reckon be mon for u as mine was 10days....sending positive vibes dolly.

ordinarygirl u are funny ha ha like your post tks hun i do feel worn out it defo takes its toll its like our future was in someine elses hands..waiting for that call.
i wldnt wish that on my worst enemy.
i am rooting for u darling....ill be back on nxt week xxx

Positive38 PHEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! breathes sigh of relief for you! See, it was all well worth it in the end.... my NHS result was 1 in 15...and my Harmony less than 1 in 10,000....

Alm83 Just hanging in there for you now.... fingers and toes crossed xxxx

OrdinaryGirl I'm sure everything will be fine, and might be better to have the Harmony before the NHS if yours is anything like mine!

Mumsnet has been a good thing for me too...would never have found out about all of this if I hadn't joined... and have actually met up with some local Mumsnetters too...

I'm hanging on in there, 17+6 today...waiting for my anomaly scan next...
Fingers toes and any other extremity possible crossed for all of you waiting on results xxx

badmiss thank u.ill never do nhs screening again my nerves wont hold up.

me too keeping everything crossed for anyone waiting for results......

im 14+4 today and finally enjoying my pregnancy.xxx

Alma thinking of you today have you heard at all? xxxxxx

Hi All,

I still have not heard.... I am glued to the phone and so nervous! Positive38 what time did you have your call? I think the waiting is worse the closer you get to 2 weeks....

OrdinaryGirl how are you coping? I believe you had the test the same day as me? Have you heard anything today? .... Oh dear I need my nerves to hold on for me!

Thank you all for your support!!!
Xxxxx

Dear ladies,
I am very happy to announce that we just got our results and everything is fine! We are soooooo happy! I got 1:10000 for all three trisomies.... Thank you so much for your support! It has been great having your kind words all the way through... Now i believe is only OrdinaryGirl expecting her news?? Good luck! Xxxxx

Alm83 Waaaaahhhhaaaayyyy! That's suchgood news. You must be so relieved!

OrdinaryGirl Heard anything yet?? xxx

alma thats just made my evening.i am soooo happy for u.isnt the wait just the worse yet the call with the all clear is just the best call ever...did u cry like me .
hope u celebrating tnite with a juice ha ha.

ordinary girl pls let us know when u hear.
thinking of u xxxx

alm83 Soooo chuffed to hear your good news! Hurrah for good news on a Monday
It made me feel brave enough to call up for my results (after crying for 15 mins) and sounding DERANGED on the phone to the sainted FMC staff...
And GOOD NEWS FOR ME TOO!!!
1 in 10,000 risk same as you alm83
I asked the lady if the nuchal scan on Fri was likely to throw up any wild cards, given the Harmony result, and she said no, because apparently the Harmony test is more reliable than the nuchal.

Cried on husband for another 15 mins after the call. It turns out there was a lot of anxiety bubbling away under there. I burst into tears with my team leader earlier about something unrelated, and he was so traumatised he came up to my desk, silently cut into his Mars bar and gave me half.

Think everyone is going to be relieved when I ease up on the Lady-of-Shalott-tortured-personal-crisis face. Though Mars bar was extraordinarily comforting.

Relief is indescribable. Will go to my NHS scan on Wed with a much lighter heart.

So I'd just like to say before I drop off to sleep...
THANK YOU BadMissM alm83 and Positive38 for your warmth and strength and support over the last couple of weeks. At a time of intense pressure, you have been such a resource and I've been hugely encouraged by your stories and your honesty.

Enough from me....Night night, sleep tight. Beeg hugs you lot. xxx

OrdinaryGirl Soooooooooooooo glad to hear your great result! I was unbearable, in the week leading up to going, even worse in the two weeks between, and had to have my bf (luckily still in London) to come with me to get the results, as I was a giant bag of nerves, and couldn't afford for DH to come with me!

Mars bar must have been a nice perk, though!!!

It makes you breathe a sigh of relief when you get the results though, I have been so much more happy and relaxed with my pregnancy since I went to FMC.

No problem, know how hard it all is

The only way I found out about all of this was through the stories and honesty of others who had done this, so just thought would give some back!

ordinary girl omg ive just had a cry for u because i was exactly the same and i am soooo happy for u i cant tell u.

that build up of stress.and worry and.anxiety needa.to release and u with mars bar to hand did just that. i told u i was a crumbling mess on kitchen floor after call.

sorry i missed your update finally got a temp role today so full on busy.like u i amnow enjoying being pregnant.and boy my bumps popped out.

u ladies have been such a support i think we have all got through this together.

biggest love to all of us xxxx

This thread has been so reassuring for me. I'm going in for the Harmony tests and a scan on Thursday.

Our risk of Down's is 1:397. While this is considered low risk it feels quite borderline to me.

I know it could be much worse but with DS1 the results were 1:4000.

I'm trying not to obsess/cry/keep myself up all night with the stress of mor wondering and waiting. Anyone have any tips for that?!

HCG was 1.3, Papp-a 0.6. NT 1.1. I'm 40.

So so worried.

Hi All

I had the Harmony test today...so starts the long wait for the results! Did everyone else have to wait the full 2 weeks to get them back?

My background is that I am currently 12+4 (according to todays nuchal at the FMC), I'm 29 and I have a risk in this pregnancy of 1:68 for DS. HCG 0.8 MoM, PaPP-A 0.43 MoM and NT of 1.7. This combined with my previous history of a DS pregnancy and an echogenic nasal bone (which I was told may calcify within a week and be a present nasal bone) resulted in the higher than I would have liked risk.

This is my third pregnancy, my first resulted in a 1:3 risk with subsequent CVS confirming DS, my second resulted in my lovely 12 month old DD (we had a risk factor of 1:2200 for that pregnancy) and now this one which have thrown another curve ball!

I decided against immediate invasive testing for the time being (as 1:68 seemed so much better than the 1:3 with my first pregnancy and I am worried about CVS risks) so I have opted for the Harmony.

Did the rest of you tell your NHS consultant that you were going to have the Harmony test performed? I have an appointment with mine tomorrow and I don't know how much/little she will know about it.

Lemon good luck with your scan, I hope you get better results than I did!

Gatorade I had a high risk of DS with a previous pregnancy, and went for an amniocenteisis, which went wrong, It turned out the blood test was wrong, and I didn't need it. This is why I went for the Harmony Test....

Told my consultant that I was going for the test. One knew all about it, and knew Prof Nicolaides (which begs the question, why didn't they suggest it?), and the other had never heard of it...

I waited the 2 weeks, but that was over Christmas...

LemonPeculiarJones My final NHS risk was 1 in 15, and I'm 45.... and I was fine xxx

Thanks BadMissM that's very reassuring. Brilliant that all is well - congratulations How many weeks pg are you?

Gatorade thanks! Am looking forward to my Harmony blood test/scan but the wait will be hard afterwards....Did you have the Prof himself for yours?

Spoke to a specialist midwife today who said that while my blood results weren't wildly out, it was more to do with the relationship between the two: elevated HCG and low Papp-a.

Not reassuring but answered my question

Roll on Thursday.

I was very sorry to read about you previous loss badmiss, hopefully awful situations like that can be avoided in the future for potential DS diagnosis with the wider use of the Harmony test.

I had a long chat with my consultant yesterday and she knew a lot about the Harmony test and expressed regret that the NHS can't offer it yet as not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to fund private testing. She hopes that it will be offered under the NHS within 5 years.

My consultant had another look at the baby and thinks she can see a nasal bone (baby was being much more cooperative), her gut feeling was that the baby doesn't have DS or any other chromosomal problem. Only ten days left until Harmony results.....

I didn't see the Prof himself this time Lemon, from memory he works on Wednesdays at the FMC (he did my CVS in my first pregnancy so I have met him before, he has an 'interesting' bedside manner but I like him and how blunt he can be,I'm not one for a too softly softly approach in these situations!).

My scan and harmony tests went very well at the clinic yesterday From the scan alone (where they take multiple relevant measurements) everything looked ok, absolutely no markers for Downs.

They also redid the hormone blood tests the nhs did - and my results were nearly perfect this time! HCG at 1.1 and Papp-a at 1. Seems so strange that there could be such a discrepancy (before they were 1.3 and 0.6). Perhaps the machines were more accurate at the FMC or maybe these hormones fluctuate?

So the lovely Dr Maria recalculated my odds at 1:1654. I was so relieved I burst into tears! She said the only reason the odds weren't in the higher thousands was my age (40).

So I feel greatly reassured and confident that the harmony tests will probably come back ok.

I feel so lucky that this service is out there (although madly expensive) - a no risk test that can give so much reassurance.

That is brilliant news Lemon, it is all looking very positive.

I also had very different PaPP A and HCG MoM results between my NHS ones and FMC ones, there was about 2 weeks difference in timing of the blood being take but I thought due the fact they used MoM and not simply absolute numbers then the results should be similar! Clearly not though.

My FMC results were actually worse than my NHS ones by a long way.

Thanks Gatorade

How strange that there can be such a difference between one set of tests and another. I assume the hormone levels fluctuate - they must, surely? It can't all be down to different machines and techniques? Impossible to tell.

Well, we both just have to cross our fingers and wait now! When do you find out?

I put a thread about the Harmony tests in Pregnancy because I think these tests should be as publicised as possible.

Great idea to put a thread in pregnancy, if it wasn't for mumsnet I wouldn't have known about the FMC in my previous pregnancy and subsequently the Harmony test. It really is amazing how science is advancing and the more people who know there are alternatives to CVS/Amnio in certain circumstances the better.

I had the blood taken for Harmony on Tuesday, so possibly another 11 days, however the doctor I spoke to said they have been coming back on average after 11 days so I'm hoping I'll get them slightly earlier. It's a horrible wait, but with great results like yours I wouldn't be too concerned.