Panorama Test - experiences?

[JoMaloneCandles]

Hi,

Just reading though the extra paid testing available. Could you please share which ones you went for, where and the price? Why did you opt in for the test you went for?

I know there is a lot of info on Google but would like to hear from personal experiences.

I just would like some reassurance as I suffer from anxiety so please no judgement.

Hi - I had a NIPT test (panorama is just a brand name for that test, same as harmony). I got mine done at Window to the Womb at just after 10 weeks. It was £175 I think. Like you I was feeling anxious and due to my age (37) I wanted to know the results in a more clear cut and accurate way that through the standard nhs screening, as age can massively impact the scores and make you worry unnecessarily. My results came back in 3 days and all were low risk, and I found out we’re having a little girl at the same time. ☺️ I’d say go for it, it helped me and was nice to go to the 12 week scan not worrying about the results.
(NB Not all window to the womb offer NIPT tests, you’d have to check your local one’s website. They used a company called Concepto for the testing)

Thank you!

How far along are you now and were all your NHS tests ok?

From what I have read the Panorama NIPT can cost something around £500 - £1000 as it check for other chromosomal issues. Hoping someone will share their experience about that soon.

Hi OP, I'm living overseas at the moment so it's a different brand name over here but I paid for the advanced NIPT privately (the one which checks for about 70 different things).
For me it was well worth the money for the peace of mind as I'm 41 so I knew the combined test would come back as high risk.
I had it done at just under 11 weeks and had the results before my '12 week' scan so went into that feeling a lot more relaxed.
They still checked the NT, nasal bone, brain, heart, limbs etc at the scan but i didn't get the actual combined test done.
I'm now 16 weeks

@JoMaloneCandles Im 25 weeks now.

The Panorama tests for microdeletions and triploidies - I don’t know how common these are - the enhanced NIPT I did did the trisomies and all sex chromosome issues. It’s the same as the PP has shared.
They really are not that different to the panorama test. What sort of experience are you asking/expecting? Have you got hereditary issues you are wanting to rule out or are you choosing the panorama test because of health anxiety?

And yep all my NHS tests are perfect. Baby girl is growing as she should. 😍

Just age to be honest, other half is 41 and want as much reassurance as possible. I didn't realise the NIPT tested for 70 different things, could you send me a link to the one you had please?

I am also in the Uk but don't mind travelling.

So excited for you!

I had a harmony test in my first pregnancy and panorama this time around as the clinic no longer offered harmony and as I’m a couple of years older now I wanted the benefit of the extra screenings. I think we paid £525, results took a little longer due to being sent to the US lab, but was incredibly thorough and all came back as low risk.

Was there a difference between the panorama and harmony? As far as I read the panorama tests for more.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Could you link where you had the panorama done please?

Yes it was more thorough and screened for more things (I can’t remember the specifics I’m afraid I was just happy everything was low risk!) the website has a breakdown of the various options and what they screen for though.

I had my screening done here at the Cambridge clinic - https://www.eastangliaultrasound.co.uk

I had the NIPT done at 14 weeks, because I didn't get a combined screening (first scan baby was too small at 11w, second scan at 13w baby was wriggling around too much!). I was offered the quad test at 16w, but that only tests for downs, and I didn't want to wait until the 20 week scan for any soft markers to be discovered. I wanted to know sooner rather than later in the case of not-great news, to give me time to decide what my next steps were.

My NHS trust offers the NIPT as a paid-for service, and it's exactly the same test as the one the NHS would run if the combined screening shows a high chance result, so it only screens for Downs, Edwards and Pataus. You order and pay for it on the trust's website, they send you the blood test form which you take to your gp or the phlebotomy clinic at the hospital, and it gets sent off to the lab. It was £280, which was cheaper than the Harmony or Panorama providers I'd found in my area (they all seemed to be around £400). You can opt to find out the sex as well, but I decided not to. The results were fairly basic - in my case all three trisomies came back as low chance, but there were no specific numbers attached so I have no idea if it was 1 in 250, or 1 in 10000.

I had the NIPT test done through ultrasound direct, I think mine was called the Vision (Iona) test, chosen because they were the nearest to us and had good reviews, I think we paid £450 2 years ago

I had the panorama extended done that tests for microdeletions and chromosomal abnormalities.
it was about 500-550 pounds but I went to a slightly more expensive place

it was back quicker than expected in 8 days I think.
it goes to America but I know the clinic only do it on the same day it gets couriered abroad so no delay.

it came with a uss scan - meant to be to ensure it’s not too early but as we’d already had one it was just an option to have a look around etc

Hi OP. I have had 2 Panorama tests. I chose Panorama for a few reasons:

It is more accurate than most others on the market. Not all NIPTs are equal and Harmony has been discontinued due to not being accurate

Panorama is accurate with a low fetal fraction. This means a) you can do the test earlier and b) if you are overweight and likely to have a lower fetal fraction in the first trimester, the test can still be carried out

It tests for microdeletions that others don’t

I don't live near London and this test was available to me a lot closer to home.

You should decide what is important to you from an NIPT- why are you doing it and what would you like to get from it, what is important to you (ie the difference in accuracy between the tests is so small, we’re talking 1% or less in most cases). One downside to Panorama is that it gets sent to America so takes more time than the tests in the U.K. Mine took 10 days and 11 days to get results back. Look at lots of reviews online and lots of different websites (usually the London fertility clinics have lots of info, get a broad range of opinions though as they’re usually affiliated to one brand or another).

My first test was accurate, my fetal fraction was less than 9%. I’m pregnant again now and FF was under 6% which was enough for them to test. So overall I’m really happy with Panorama and would recommend it.

Thank you, exactly what I was looking for!

Could you send me a private message of where you had the test done? I am 4 hours away from London but don't mind travelling to Birmingham or surrounding areas which would 2 hours instead.

@JoMaloneCandles Sent you a PM.

MUMS in Solihull offers Panorama from 9 weeks. I had the Illumina there at 10 weeks as the results came back quicker. I think both options are £400ish. Maybe £450?

I was 10+1 when I had mine done so feotal fraction was quite low but enough for them to complete the testing and identify that my baby was male.