NIPT Blood Test (Harmony Prenatal Test) LIS Code: Harmony Test
Private NIPT (Harmony prenatal test) from 10 weeks of pregnancy: screens for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes from one blood sample. £365 + £25 blood draw. Slough, Victoria, Neasden.
Before your test
Good to know: You need to be at least 10 weeks pregnant, ideally confirmed by a dating scan. Bring your scan date or due date and tell us if you are expecting twins or conceived by IVF with a donor egg.
Test Categories
About this test
NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing), often known by the brand name Harmony, is a blood test in pregnancy that screens for the three most common chromosome conditions. From 10 weeks of pregnancy, your blood carries small fragments of DNA from the placenta. The laboratory analyses these to estimate the chance that your baby has one of these conditions. It is just a blood sample from your arm, so there is no risk to you or your baby.
What NIPT screens for
- Down's syndrome (trisomy 21)
- Edwards' syndrome (trisomy 18)
- Patau's syndrome (trisomy 13)
NIPT is more accurate than the standard combined screening test for these conditions, and it is far less likely to give a false alarm.
A screening test, not a diagnosis
NIPT tells you whether the chance of a condition is low or high. It cannot say for certain that your baby does or does not have a condition:
- A low-chance result is very reassuring, but no screening test picks up every case.
- A high-chance result needs a diagnostic test, such as CVS or amniocentesis, before any decisions are made. Your NHS maternity team or a fetal medicine specialist will explain your options.
- Occasionally the lab cannot give a result, often because there is not enough DNA from the pregnancy in the sample, especially early on. A repeat sample may be needed.
NIPT does not check for every genetic or physical condition, and it does not replace your routine NHS scans and antenatal care.
Who chooses NIPT?
- Anyone who wants early, accurate screening from 10 weeks, rather than waiting for the NHS combined test.
- Parents who have been told they have a higher chance after NHS screening and want more information before deciding about a diagnostic test.
- Older parents, or anyone with a previous pregnancy affected by a chromosome condition.
Before your test
- You need to be at least 10 weeks pregnant. A dating scan first is recommended, to confirm how many weeks you are, that the pregnancy is in the right place and how many babies there are.
- Tell us if you are expecting twins, or if you conceived by IVF with a donor egg, as this affects how the test can be done.
- No fasting is needed. The sample goes in special tubes, so please book an appointment rather than walking in.
Results
Results are usually ready within 10 working days and come to your online account. If your result shows a high chance, you can book a private GP consultation to talk it through and plan the next steps with your maternity team.
Price
NIPT costs £365, plus a £25 blood draw per visit. You can add other pregnancy tests to the same visit and pay the blood draw only once, for example the Pregnancy & Hormone Blood Test, blood group and rhesus or a haemoglobin electrophoresis test for sickle cell and thalassaemia carriers. Book at our Slough clinic, Victoria or Neasden.
