Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing

July 29, 2015

Obstetricians Marietta GA Pregnancy brings about so many memories of joy for expectant parents – learning that you are expecting, hearing the heartbeat via Doppler, seeing your sweet baby via ultrasound and possibly learning the gender, movement and kicks, and then the long awaited arrival. There are so many wonderful moments of pregnancy, but there are times these moments of joy can be shattered when a baby is born with an abnormality, disease, or syndrome that was unknown until birth.

At Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. we offer genetic screening during pregnancy that is used to detect genetic problems in a young life while it is still in utero. Included in our screening options is Non Invasive Prenatal Screening for obstetrics patients. This Non Invasive Prenatal Screening is a blood test that screens for genetic chromosomes from the baby in the mother’s bloodstream to determine whether the baby is at risk of Down Syndrome, Trisomy 13, Trisomy 18, Turner Syndrome, and a few other conditions. This screening is done between 10-14 weeks, with week 12 being the ideal window to avoid false readings. The baby’s gender and Rh blood type can also be determined through this screening.

Genetic screening options will be discussed at your first prenatal visit and reviewed at your second visit if you would like more time to make the decision. While not everyone chooses to undergo genetic screenings, Non Invasive Prenatal Screening may help you avoid other tests that are more invasive and have a higher chance of putting your pregnancy at risk later.

At Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. we are here to answer any questions you may have.

Here are a few links to what we have found to be helpful educational resources: