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Original poster

Harmony/NIPT test

34 replies

Peacefulspirit · 15/03/2021 15:01

Hi everyone,
Just hoping someone can help. I’m due to have the Harmony test on Wednesday, I’ll be 10+1, so essentially the earliest possible gestation to have it. I was just reading another post and saw that the earlier it’s done the more likely it is to be inconclusive due to insufficient fetal DNA. Has online had it done this early and had a clear result? Also I’m taking aspirin which obviously thins the blood, should I stop taking that from today? I’m only taking it because I’m an old knacker Grin and because it’s been 10 years since my last pregnancy.
Any advice would be very appreciated xx

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Original poster
Peacefulspirit · 15/03/2021 15:01

Anyone not online....Hmm

OP posts:
Tempusfudgeit · 15/03/2021 15:03

Your BMI can affect the amount of foetal DNA too. Will your service give you a free second attempt if there is not enough?

Original poster
Peacefulspirit · 15/03/2021 15:04

My BMI is normal so that’s a plus. I bloody hope they do offer a second attempt, given the cost!

OP posts:
Moominmiss · 15/03/2021 15:05

I had my done at 12+2 and awaiting results so will let you know!

I also take aspirin and didn’t stop so will see.

SleepingStandingUp · 15/03/2021 15:08

Can you not delay it until a little later? If yout 12 week scan is clear will you still want it and you'd be less insecure about the result if you did?

DinoHat · 15/03/2021 15:10

I had it at 12wk 2 day and got my results fine.

Busybee93 · 15/03/2021 15:39

@Peacefulspirit had it done last week at 10+3 and got the results fine, within 4 days too. The sonographer who scanned me before said not to worry if I get a phone call as would likely be a redraw as I was early. Could you wait a couple of days perhaps?

ILoveBountys · 15/03/2021 16:24

@Peacefulspirit
Hey I’m an old bird too 😂

I’m having mine on Friday at 11+3 because my BMI is 30 so they said to give it another week.
If your BMI is normal I’d not worry to be honest.

My place (ultrasound direct) said they’d redo the bloods for free if it as inconclusive

Sixtyorforty · 15/03/2021 17:19

I had it at 10+6 and was fine

Sanch1 · 15/03/2021 17:20

I had mine at 10+2 and no problems!

KentHD · 15/03/2021 17:37

I would suggest waiting another week or so if you can - I had it done at 11+2 (normal BMI) and results came back inconclusive and had to have a redraw. I think the fetal DNA levels in your blood at 10 weeks are only just measurable, so you might be ok then (and some are!) but if you want to avoid the stress of further waiting after a redraw it's worth holding off a little longer. Good luck!

purplebiscuits · 15/03/2021 17:56

@Peacefulspirit @ILoveBountys
How olds old... I'm 40 and ttc!

I'll (hopefully) be having the harmony out of personal choice if I get a bfp!

Glad I read this as I thought it was from 8 weeks!
Personally I'd be aiming as early as you op and if called for a retest so be it. I'd want to know as Earl as possible.

ILoveBountys · 15/03/2021 18:20

@purplebiscuits hi! I'm also 40, will be 41 on my EDD if all goes well & this would be the first :)

We wanted is asap too; the earliest is 10 weeks but when I called they said that, if I took the test at 10 and it was inconclusive they don't test you again until 2 weeks later (so 12 weeks) and then you're waiting 7-10 days for the results.... so it could be 13+ weeks until result.

The lady said, if we wait til 11 weeks (as my BMI is 30) then the chance of inconclusive is lower so we'd know by 12 weeks.

We weighed it up and decided to wait the extra week - but you can have it at 10 weeks, especially if your BMI is normal you'll be less likely to get an inconclusive.

How exciting you're TTC, I really hope all is going well Flowers

KLM25 · 16/03/2021 09:36

I think it’s different for everyone but I would also advise waiting a week or two from my experience.

I had my first NIPT with Ultrasound Direct at 10+5. I was still waiting for the results when I had my NHS scan which was bang on 12 weeks. I mentioned to the sonographer that I had had the NIPT and we were awaiting the results and she explained that in that case, their policy was not to do the combined testing as the NIPT was so much more accurate and differing results could cause us unnecessary stress.

We arrived home that afternoon to an email from Ultrasound Direct saying that the NIPT result was inconclusive due to insufficient foetal dna! We were offered a redraw which I managed to book as soon as possible for 12+4 and to our immense relief we got a conclusive result second time around - 1:10000 for all three trisomies.

I would just say that I found those 10 days or so, waiting for the results, to be the most stressful of my pregnancy 😏 Mainly because I knew I had missed out on the combined testing as the hospital couldn’t offer me another first trimester scan/screening and just said they could do the quadruple test instead in the second trimester.

If I was to be in the same situation again, I think I would wait another week or so or at least not mention it at the 12 week scan!
I’m over 40, but with a normal BMI so I think I maybe just took the test too early on, although I was taking a blood thinner at the time - Clexane (IVF pregnancy) - so who knows it that had anything to do with it.

Hope this helps! I think an inconclusive test due to low foetal dna is actually quite common - I read a lot of similar posts on MN during that period and that helped me to stop worrying quite so much.

purplebiscuits · 17/03/2021 21:57

@ILoveBountys that makes perfect sense actually and would make me now lean towards 11 weeks.

Thank you for the info Smile

Oh and you know, ttc, the cycle of the constant tww...!

purplebiscuits · 17/03/2021 22:00

@KLM25 thanks for that info too!

Very good to know as I could be in the same position 🤞🏼

Original poster
Peacefulspirit · 17/03/2021 22:08

Thanks so much guys. I had it today and was measuring 10+4 so we will wait and see what happens with the results. Thanks for sharing your experiences x

OP posts:
2021mumma · 17/03/2021 22:20

I had mine a month ago at 11 weeks, it came back with all results good and we are having a boy! Good luck with your results!

Meomeomeo · 18/03/2021 07:54

I was going to say, it’s not about the gestation on its own. There is a minimum CRL the foetus needs to be for them to do the test. Hope all goes well

ILoveBountys · 18/03/2021 12:37

@purplebiscuits Yep; I remember that well! Good luck with it all, sending you loads of good luck vibes Flowers

LozzaG12335 · 21/03/2021 18:53

I am thinking of getting a NIPT, does anyone know of someone who got a negative results and went on to have a baby with DS? I know I couldn’t cope. Is there any place in Scotland you can go privately in to have a amino done? Thanks

purplebiscuits · 21/03/2021 21:24

@LozzaG12335 I'd be interested to know this too as until recently by reading on here I thought it was like 99.9% accurate - or as near to 100% as possible.

I'm 40 and ttc so would have wanted this... which is the test that can be risky and how risky is that?

LozzaG12335 · 21/03/2021 21:28

@purplebiscuits the cvs / amino has a 0.5 - 1% miscarriage risk. Which tbh I am willing to take as if baby was born with DS I would consider putting for adoption (please don’t judge). I think false negatives are rare in NIPT.I would like to know the percentage of babies born with DS with a given low result on the NHS?

Megan2018 · 21/03/2021 21:29

I went for mine at 10+3 and was dated 10+2 and it was fine. But friend went at 10+5, dated 10+5 and had to have a re-test done. So it’s lap of the gods really.

purplebiscuits · 21/03/2021 22:15

@LozzaG12335 no judgement at all.

Ok the amino is extremely low risk then! Is this something the nhs offer do you know? I'm in the old age bracket now lol and when I had my previous 3+ years ago we got 1 in 10000 chance so didn't test further- being 40 now and still not pregnant  I think leaning at or being 41 I'd be offered something.

I'm wary of spending £400 on a harmony if I have to then have something else or it's not certain enough- I suppose I'm a similar position to you, just wanting to know!

Thanks Lozza.

@Peacefulspirit hopefully you'll get your results tomorrow! Will you be finding out the gender too?