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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Anyone been told the wrong gender on a Harmony test?

15 replies

ThisIsActuallyHappening · 15/03/2017 20:07

I had the Harmony test at 13+4, not to find out the sex but because they suspected Down's syndrome. Test came back as low/minimal risk for Down's and also revealed I'm apparently carrying a girl.

It's a long awaited and very much wanted baby, so I would be happy with anything but we've told everyone we're having a girl, and I'm now paranoid I'm going to look a total tit if they find a pair of balls on the 20weeks scan! 😂

I just wonder, what's the reality of the gender being wrong? Especially when they've said girl. Report says it's 99.9% accurate for gender so that's fairly certain, right?

Anyone had an incorrect gender result and if so at how many weeks did you have the test?

Thanks for humouring me! Blush

OP posts:
Sparklyuggs · 15/03/2017 20:12

As it's DNA it's very hard to be wrong. The only issue could be a very recent miscarriage or if you had been unknowingly carrying multiples who didn't progress, but they take a large enough sample this shouldn't happen. You can wait for the 20 week scan to confirm if you want to hold off buying?

Nothing's 100% but the harmony test is far more accurate than the scan for gender!

PotteringAlong · 15/03/2017 20:14

It's DNA. It can't be wrong!

anametouse · 15/03/2017 20:16

Mine said boy, I can confirm he has balls Grin

Original poster
ThisIsActuallyHappening · 15/03/2017 20:29

Well yes, that's what I thought -DNA is DNA so unless you have a baby who is genetically female but physically male, it can't be wrong (and in that case technically it isn't wrong anyway is it but I digress!).

BUT then, a "helpful" person told me that sometimes they can guess girl wrong if actually there just wasn't enough of the baby's DNA in my blood for them to detect the boy chromosome Confused So I'm just wondering., has this actually happened to anyone in reality?

I feel truly blessed that we are having a child, boy or girl, just wondering if I ought to stop DH from telling everyone about our "future daughter " just in case! Blush People have started buying us things and I'd feel terrible not using x or y's gift because I don't want to put our son in a tutu! Wink Grin

OP posts:
Sparklyuggs · 15/03/2017 20:35

If there wasn't enough blood they'd be inconclusive- because they then couldn't test accurately enough for the chromosome abnormalities. The 'helpful' person is talking nonsense.

BettyOBarley · 15/03/2017 20:42

I had one after our 12 week scan and they correctly said a boy. However I do remember that it's not 100% accurate, so that must mean that very very rarely it's wrong, from what I remember one explanation was where there had been a previous recent loss or vanishing twin syndrome.

TiltedNewt · 15/03/2017 20:49

I would assume that they can't claim 100% for fear of being sued? Just like cleaning products claim to kill 99.9% of germs.

The twin/recent loss thing is interesting though. In that theory, the trisomy tests can only be 99.9% accurate surely?

Original poster
ThisIsActuallyHappening · 15/03/2017 20:56

The twin/recent loss thing is interesting though. In that theory, the trisomy tests can only be 99.9% accurate surely?

Yes that's what I was told by the hospital - 99.99% or 1 in 10,000 odds of all being fine, but they can't guarantee anything 100%.

And thanks Sparklyuggs that's a much more rational response, and yes of course. Why didn't I think of that? Blush Pregnancy seems to be depleting stores of my rationale ... Arrrgh!

Thank you all for your reassurance and apologies for my divvy question Blush

OP posts:
Original poster
ThisIsActuallyHappening · 15/03/2017 20:58

Sorry I meant 99.99% chance of it being fine OR only a 1 in 10,000 chance of a problem with chromosomes. facepalm

OP posts:
TiltedNewt · 15/03/2017 21:37

I meant they could only be 99.9% accurate not the 99.99% reported.

Sparklyuggs · 15/03/2017 22:17

I had the harmony test and found out the gender so I hope it's correct or I have a lot of 'boy' clothes!

Impatientwino · 16/03/2017 07:16

The harmony test looks directly at the baby's chromosomes. If it shows XX girl if it shows XY boy so it's incredibly difficult for that to be wrong.

There are some VERY rare genetics issues that can alter their chromosome breakdown but they are additional chromosomes which would show on the test in the same way downs/Edwards/patau would.

Congratulations on your little girl.

MinnieNoush · 16/03/2017 18:01

Its not possible to get the gender wrong with DNA.

Blondeshavemorefun · 17/03/2017 12:22

So what if you had g/b twins

What /how would DNA show that?

numberseven · 17/03/2017 12:25

When I had the harmony test done they told me it is not accurate for twins and checked that it was a singleton pregnancy.

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