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Prenatal testing plays an important role in monitoring the health of both you and your baby throughout pregnancy. Some tests are recommended for all pregnancies, while others are optional or based on your personal medical history, family history, or ultrasound findings.
Routine Testing During Pregnancy
Routine Testing During Pregnancy
Routine prenatal testing helps us monitor your health and your baby's health throughout pregnancy. Some tests are performed for nearly everyone, while others may be recommended based on your medical history, pregnancy, or individual needs.
Glucose Screening Test During Pregnancy (OSU)
The Fresh Test (an alternative glucose drink for gestational diabetes screening. If purchasing for your routine 1-hour glucose test, choose the 50-gram glucose beverage.)
Prenatal Genetic Screening
Prenatal Genetic Screening
Prenatal genetic screening is optional and can provide information about the chance that your baby may have certain chromosome conditions. Screening is typically offered beginning around 10 weeks of pregnancy, and we can help you decide whether testing is right for you.
Screening is not the same as diagnosis. These tests tell us whether a pregnancy has a higher or lower chance of certain chromosome conditions, but they cannot determine with certainty whether a baby has or does not have a condition. If a screening result shows an increased chance, additional testing may be recommended to provide more definitive information.
Cell-Free DNA/NIPS
Cell-Free DNA/NIPS
Cell-free DNA screening, also called NIPS or NIPT, is a blood test that can be performed beginning around 10 weeks of pregnancy. It is the most sensitive and specific screening test for the common chromosome conditions, including Down syndrome, but it remains a screening test rather than a diagnostic test.
Estimating Cost
Insurance coverage for cell-free DNA screening varies by plan, and your out-of-pocket cost may depend on your individual benefits. If you would like to estimate your cost before having the test performed, you can use Labcorp’s online cost estimator below.
LabCorp Cost Estimator (select MaterniT21 PLUS)
Noninvasive Prenatal Screening (LabCorp)
What does a low-risk result mean?
A low-risk result is reassuring and makes the chromosome conditions included in the screen much less likely, but screening cannot rule out every genetic condition or birth difference. Routine prenatal care and recommended ultrasounds are still important.
What if my result is high risk?
A high-risk screening result does not mean that your baby definitely has a chromosome condition. We will review the result with you and discuss additional counseling and diagnostic testing that can provide more definitive information.
Prenatal Diagnostic Testing
Prenatal Diagnostic Testing
Diagnostic testing provides more definitive information than screening. Tests such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis can directly evaluate the baby’s chromosomes and may be offered after an abnormal screening result or ultrasound finding. Some patients may also choose diagnostic testing without first having screening.
CVS and amniocentesis are generally performed by a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. If diagnostic testing is something you are interested in, please let us know so we can discuss your options and arrange additional counseling if needed.
Carrier Screening
Carrier Screening
Carrier screening looks at your genes to determine whether you carry certain inherited conditions that could potentially be passed to a child. Most carriers are healthy and have no symptoms, so people often do not know they are carriers unless they are tested.
Carrier screening can be completed before pregnancy or at any time during pregnancy. Different screening panels are available, ranging from testing for several commonly inherited conditions to more expanded panels that screen for many conditions.
Estimating Cost
Insurance coverage for carrier screening varies by plan, and your out-of-pocket cost may depend on your individual benefits. If you would like to estimate your cost before having the test performed, you can use Labcorp’s online cost estimator below.
LabCorp Cost Estimator (most patients choose Inheritest 100 Plus Panel)
What if I’m a carrier?
Finding out that you are a carrier usually does not mean that your baby has the condition. For many inherited conditions, the next step is testing the other biological parent.
If both biological parents carry the same recessive condition, or if screening identifies certain X-linked conditions, we can help you understand what that means for the pregnancy and discuss whether genetic counseling or additional testing may be appropriate.
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