Insufficient Fetal DNA Harmony - anyone else??

[Lou0808]

We have our screening results come back from the NHS combined test, we were classed as low risk, but the odds they gave us were 1:225 and I felt uneasy about this.

To put my mind as risk we decided to pay for the harmony test.

I’ve had a call today to say I need to have a repeat blood test as there was insufficient fetal DNA.
I’ve been told this is nothing to worry about and doesn’t indicate any issues or concerns to the baby, but obviously I can’t help but worry.

Has anyone else had this result. I’ve read it only happens in 3% of women tested.
I’m so anxious now 😔

I’ve read so much today online about failed NIPT could mean something could be wrong.
But I spoke to the lab who carried out the test and they said it’s nothing to worry about and they don’t see an increased risk amongst people who had a failed test.
Does any one have any experience with this as I’m going out of my mind with worry :(

Tests fail for all sorts of reasons mostly which are down to human error in handling the sample. I wouldn't fret just yet.

Can't help with personal experience but we were told when we had ours that repeat test being needed didn't mean there was a problem. And in most cases, the repeat would work. I was dreading needing a repeat test as they struggled to get enough blood out of me the first time round (ended up using the back of my hand 😱) but it never crossed my mind that that scenario would mean elevated risk. Good luck OP 🤞

Hi, I've had the same result - I need to go back next week for more bloods to be taken. I'm not worried because when we were having it done our nurse had specifically discussed that this might happen and that we were not to worry if it did, it has nothing to do with the results. So fingers crossed for both of us!

Hi MCL10. Any luck with the second draw? We are the same situation and a bit worried about the result. My wife is far from being outweight which i saw is one of the cuases of unsufficient DNA:.. Thanks!

Yes we had that, but they got a result in second testing. Sorry you’re having to wait x

I had the nifty test years ago and had to go back for a second one for the same reason as you.

The doctor said that in some women the placenta is very efficient at being a barrier so very little or sometimes no baby DNA can be found in mum's blood. This is what I remember, I hope I haven't horrified any healthcare professionals with my lack of knowledge After the second test I got my results.

HTH

By the way I didn’t provide a second sample of blood- they tested the same sample twice and got a result second time.

(Saves time)

Thank you so much. The wait is awful... I read somewhere that it might be bad news if no enough DNA is found on the first drawn. Happy to heard different stories.

It really doesn’t mean a bad test result. Try to think of it as happening to 1 in 33 women and then it sounds a lot less worrisome.

My understanding was it was more likely to be equipment failure

I had a repeat test. Fine on the second draw. I am absolutely sure it was human error as we didn’t even get a result first time. I fretted terribly but it was fine.

I was told this was quite common and if it's done earlier, the closer to the 10 week earliest test the more likely it is to happen as there's less of the baby's DNA in your blood and the further on you are, the more DNA and the less likely it is to fail

It has no relation to the likelihood of a bad outcome

We got results on the second draw too.
Good luck. xx