Harmony Test and NHS test

[ParisInTheSpringtime]

Hi all

I’ve had a low probability result from Harmony testing - would you recommend that I go ahead with the NHS testing? Part of me thinks we should take the “belt and braces” approach, and then part of me thinks there’s no point if Harmony says low probability.

Would be grateful for your views

Hi there,
Congratulations on your pregnancy and good to hear you had a low risk result on the harmony test.
There is a point. The NHS test includes your hormone levels, HCG and Papp-a. A low Papp-a can indicate issues with your placenta so it's helpful to know whether your levels are ok or not. The harmony test is reliable for T21, however the false negative (and positive) rate for T13 and T18 are a lot higher and therefore the harmony test is not classed as diagnostic.
I've had the harmony test done in both pregnancies and still went ahead with the NHS combined test. They measure the NT during your 12 weeks scan and then you just go for bloods, unless you have a phobia of needles you have nothing to lose.

Thanks, that’s really helpful

I am currently waiting for my Harmony results (feels like the time has stopped, it has been a week already), and have 12 week NHS scan this Friday. I am planning going ahead with NHS tests as well, especially because of papp-a.

I've just had my 12 week scan today and also did the harmony. I asked them this exact question, if I needed to have come in. They said I still needed my 12 week scan as they look at the baby in detail- heart, brain, stomach, spine etc. It just meant that I didn't need to do the NT part of the scan, which they still did anyway.

Definitely still go. You also get booked in for your 20 week anomaly scan then too.

@ParisInTheSpringtime I did both

I did both but pre-Covid-19. Assuming you had a detailed scan when the blood for the NIPT test was taken, I wouldn’t go again because of the additional infection risk. (For me the blood taken for the NIPT was also checked for hormone levels in both pregnancies.)
Otherwise I would attend in order to have the scan.

I am definitely going for the scan as well. Was just wondering about the tests to be honest. I’m not sure if the report will show Papp-A etc and want to see the picture in any case.

@GirlCalledJames I disagree. Firstly the
Harmony test report does not show hormone levels, and secondly, due to the harmony test being done from 10 weeks onwards there can't be a certainty of the scan results. Eg in our case, the harmony scan didn't show any issues but the 12 week hospital scan showed that the intestines hadn't rotated back into the abdomen which turned out to be an Omphalocele. This wasn't flagged at the harmony scan as up to a certain gestation this is not an issue and can still happen. NT measurements are only classed as accurate once the embryo measures a certain length which they usually around week 12.

@GirlCalledJames sorry just seen your report showed your hormone levels, mine didn't.

It wasn’t the panorama report that showed the hormone levels, the lab tested one tube, forwarded two and sent me the results separately.
Most places I saw advised against NIPT at 10 weeks in case there wasn’t enough fetal DNA and you had to do it again, so I would guess that a lot of people are having it at 12 weeks.