NIPT Testing in Kenya

Early Pregnancy Genetic Screening

The NIPT Test determines the gender and genetic risk of an unborn child from as early as week 10

The DNA NIPT Test determines the sex and genetic risks of the unborn child. It can be conducted from ten weeks of pregnancy and only a sample of the mother’s blood is needed.

This means that the mother doesn’t have to wait until the pregnancy is 20 weeks to determine her baby’s gender through ultrasound.

The NIPT test is based on the fact that the baby’s DNA, known as cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA), circulates freely in the mother’s blood. The cffDNA can be extracted from the mother’s blood and presence of the Y chromosome analyzed.

The NIPT test is more accurate than the ultrasound test which has an average accuracy of just over 90% or lower in other settings. The accuracy of the NIPT test goes up to 99%. Other advantages of the NIPT test are that.

Genetic conditions tested include autosomal aneuploidies such as Down's Syndrome (Trisomy 21), Edward's Syndrome (Trisomy 18), and Patau's Syndrome (Trisomy 13).

The test also determines the fetus risk of sex chromosome aneuploidies such as Turner syndrome (Monosomy X), Triple X syndrome (Trisomy X), Klinefelter syndrome (XXY), Jacobs syndrome (XYY), and XXYY syndrome.

Microdeletions including DiGeorge syndrome (22q11.2), 1p36 deletion syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome (17p11.2), and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (4p16.3) are also tested.

In addition, monogenic disorders such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, fragile X, and many others are also tested.