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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Harmony

20 replies

dilys4trevor · 13/02/2014 11:46

Hi all, Just had 12 week scan and waiting for combined test result. Nuchal fold was good at 1.5mm. I am 39 in a few weeks tho so docs warned me that test result might not be great.
Dependent on result of combined test I will do the ammnio/CVS.
But a friend just mentioned Harmony private testing which is new and you can do privately and is 99% accurate based on bloods. Anyone had any experience of this? Obviously it sounds brilliant as no risk to baby. Thanks if you can help.

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onceipopicantstop · 13/02/2014 12:45

Hi I'm also 39 and had the Harmony test. We live in the Southwest but went to the Fetal Medicine Centre in Harley Street as they had a special offer on which made it worthwhile making the journey. As part of the offer we had a nuchal scan as well as the Harmony as they were gathering data for their research. But there are a number of other centres carrying out the test around the country. It's a fairly new test and still being researched but as you say there is no risk to the baby, and all the evidence so far seems to suggest it is very accurate. Both our nuchal scan and Harmony came back low risk. My understanding is that it's very accurate in picking up abnormal results. So if you have a high risk result there is something like a 1 in 2 chance that the baby does have an abnormality. Then of course you would have to decide whether to proceed with an amnio.

There is (or was) a long thread about this on the antenatal tests and choices forum.

Also don't panic if you're combined test comes back high. It's a flawed test especially with older mums. We opted not to have it as had already decided to have the Harmony. But my midwife told me we would have had a high risk result purely based on my age anyway.

Original poster

dilys4trevor · 13/02/2014 13:38

Great, thank you. So if I am clear then, Harmony doesn't give you a 'yes' or 'no' (and that is 98% or whatever accurate), it still gives you a 'one in something' number, but gives you a much more accurate risk assessment based on detailed scanning and bloods? So, you could still be the 'one' but it is a better way of assessing that risk as less blunt.

Many thanks for taking the time to respond. Just seen that thread. I posted in the wrong place!

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weebigmamma · 13/02/2014 13:41

I had the harmony test because I didn't want the amnio. It pretty much does give you a yes or no answer. That's to say, if you come out as low risk then it's fairly certain your baby does not have downs. It cost us £400 and I thought it was worth it. Simple blood test, nothing more.

bubblegumgirl · 13/02/2014 13:58

I also had the Harmony test and it's well worth the 400 that the Fetal Medicine Centre charges, just for the peace of mind. Statistically, it's the best non-invasive test to have, the false negative results are something like 0.6%.

Original poster

dilys4trevor · 13/02/2014 16:10

Thank you. What a breakthrough. I had no idea things had moved on this much since the last time I was pregnant (2010).

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CrispyFB · 13/02/2014 16:30

Yes, it's moved on loads! Back in 2010 when I was expecting DS and had a 1 in 34, we chose to wait it out because I didn't want invasive testing. I had heard about Harmony (or rather MaterniT21 was the big one then) being trialled in the US, but it hadn't reached the UK.

This time around I went straight out and got it at the FMC at 10 weeks. Very glad I did as my NT screening came out as 1 in 5.. but I had the negative Harmony result to reassure me.

You get results as either High Risk or Low Risk (1 in 10,000) - there is nothing in between.

The way these tests work is that a negative result is almost certainly a "true" result. If there is any doubt at all, you will get a positive.. but there are still a few false positives although any positive result at all is very very rare. It is extremely reliable for Down Syndrome and slightly less reliable for the other trisomies - but nearly always something shows on ultrasound for the other trisomies (as it does over 50% of the time for Down Syndrome too)

Good luck! I am so grateful for Harmony and similar tests

Original poster

dilys4trevor · 13/02/2014 16:47

Thanks Crispy. I have spent the whole day marveling over Harmony!

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Mim78 · 13/02/2014 17:55

Apparently harmony is more accurate than they are allowed to let on (said consultant I saw at 37 week scan having had harmony at 12/13 weeks).

Original poster

dilys4trevor · 18/02/2014 13:15

For anyone interested and reading about Harmony for the first time, I went along today.

The scan was very detailed and by the end I was actually getting a little bored (something you don't have time for with NHS scans!).

Risk based on scan was confirmed as similar to NHS (1/2100) with Harmony test result to follow.

One thing I didn't realise is that the Harmony blood test (for an extra tenner) will also give you certainty on the gender. Amazing. DH wanted to go for it so we are finding out.

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eurochick · 18/02/2014 14:54

I see you've already decided to go for it. I had the Harmony at the FMC too. I got my results and had my detailed scan yesterday, and the results were good.

The Harmony gives you a result of either 1/10000 or 1/2, which is as close to certainty either way as you can get without invasive testing, which is why we went for it.

I've seen it advertised as 700-900 quid elsewhere, but the FMC offers a package of 2 vists, 1-viability scan and bloods, 2-results and nuchal scan, for 400 quid, which I think is pretty good. The scanning equipment is top notch too and all the staff I have dealt with are lovely.

NancyJones · 18/02/2014 14:59

Yes we had it this time ! Amazing is all I can say as was finding out that we're having a little girl after 3boys all by 10.5wks!

Original poster

dilys4trevor · 18/02/2014 19:32

Wow, Nancy, what wonderful news! I have two boys and now that I feel I can relax slightly on the risk front I am trying not to daydream too much about a girl! Three boys will be fab too! What great news for you.

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NancyJones · 18/02/2014 19:56

Thanks! 3 boys is fab and I didn't ever give too much thought to having a girl until they told me I was. I never had gender disappointment or anything but since finding out I've been quite excited! Main thing for me was the early reassurance that baby was ok. Like a previous poster, I was also told that it's more accurate than indicated and that if it's negative then it's negative because DNA doesn't lie.

Original poster

dilys4trevor · 18/02/2014 20:05

My midwife at Kingston said that fingers crossed, it might only be 5 years or so until it is available on the NHS.

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CrispyFB · 18/02/2014 20:33

Put it this way, I hope the negatives are true - my NT screening was 1 in 5 and baby has not been born yet so I have to trust in it really!

Harmony is negative.. all I can say is thank goodness for my sanity I was at the FMC and already had the Harmony result BEFORE the NT screening or I think I may have passed out. After the 20 week wait with DC3's 1 in 34, I think I had a bit of PTSD!

Hope you don't have to wait long for your results. We paid the extra tenner too - it was nice knowing at 12 weeks when everyone else is squinting over nub shots, and I could say with certainty

Original poster

dilys4trevor · 18/02/2014 21:38

Crispy, waiting it out last time must have been GRIM. And annoying (the wait and worry, I mean) in a way when it all turned out fine. If only Harmony was around in 2010!

I think we can trust Harmony.

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CrispyFB · 18/02/2014 23:29

It was very frustrating as some US residents were able to get MaterniT21 (similar thing) on trial in some places.. but there was no way we could afford for me to fly to the US let alone chance a clinic accepting me!

It was weird, after waiting it out for 20 weeks you'd think I'd feel huge relief, but instead I just felt nothing.. think I had already felt everything I was going to over the previous 5 months and I was totally drained by that point! There's a much greater sense of relief when you get the results sooner I suspect.

I think we can trust Harmony too. The doctors I saw at the FMC each time seemed to trust in it completely, so if they do, and they see multiple results every day, who am I to disagree?

Flickstar · 19/02/2014 13:21

Several London NHS hospitals are trialling the Harmony test at the minute. I had it free as part of a trial at Kings College Hospital so fingers crossed it will be widely available soon.

NancyJones · 19/02/2014 15:46

Crispy, you must have been out of your mind with worry. I have a colleague who had a high risk from her NT test. She held off but actually had an amnio at 32wks as she figured she was prepared to risk early labour rather than go out of her mind for 2 more months. I seem to remember her risk was 1:4 but all was well both with the amnio and the baby.

Hopefully the harmony will be available on the NHS for all women within a few years so they can avoid the level of stress you and my colleague went through.

CrispyFB · 19/02/2014 17:50

I actually had a late amnio too with that baby, hence "only" waiting 20 weeks (until 32 weeks!) I had to know before the birth, and the risks were acceptable to me at 32 weeks as it is "just" a risk of early labour.

Yes, Kings and I think UCLH are doing Harmony trials now - hopefully it won't be too long before it is more widely rolled out. The science is good, and yes, there are occasionally false positives but there are so often false positives with scans and other tests and nobody says to ban those.

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