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Pregnant women can control the process of fetal development thanks to various prenatal tests. These include the non-invasive Harmony test, which allows the detection of diseases caused by abnormalities within the chromosomes. Which medical conditions can be identified by the Harmony test and who can be tested?
What is the Harmony Test?
The Harmony test is a blood test that is carried out on women in the first trimester of pregnancy – at the earliest in the 10th and 14th week at the latest. The analysis measures the fetal extracellular DNA from the mother’s blood for a disorder known as trisomy. It is associated with diseases such as Patau’s syndrome (trisomy 13), Edward’s syndrome (trisomy 18) and Down’s syndrome (trisomy 21).
As part of the Harmony test, you can also examine the X and Y sex chromosomes. This means that we will find out the sex of the child and detect possible abnormalities, i.e. Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome. Harmony test reliability is estimated at approx. 99 percent. One of the main advantages of this study is its low invasiveness and no risk of complications for the mother and child.
Harmony test – for whom?
The Harmony test is a safe solution for women with a higher risk of genetic defects in the fetus, especially after the age of 35. Being pregnant at this age increases the likelihood of Down syndrome. The issue of age is also important in the case of the father – diagnostics is recommended for men over 55 years of age. Another indication for the Harmony test is in vitro fertilization or worrying pregnancy ultrasound results. The method should also be used prophylactically to make sure that the child is not at risk of trisomy or other genetic defects.
- Read also about half-width ultrasound as well as 3D and 4D ultrasound.
Some prenatal tests have contraindications and cannot be performed in HIV and HBV infections, as well as in the presence of a prominent placenta. In such cases, the solution to the situation is a non-invasive test. Keep in mind that Harmony prenatal test is aimed at women between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy. It is carried out in the case of single and twin pregnancies.
Harmony test – contraindications
While the Harmony Test is not invasive, it should not be performed under certain specific circumstances. Contraindications apply to women after organ transplants and treated with stem cells. Women who underwent a blood transfusion within six months before pregnancy should resign from the study.
How is the Harmony test performed?
For the genetic analysis in the Harmony test, the woman donates a small blood sample that is sent to the laboratory. Baby DNA fragments (cfDNA) are isolated from the blood and then examined for chromosomal defects. Usually, you should wait for the results for nearly two weeks. When we receive the documentation, we go with it to the doctor in charge of the pregnancy.
If the Harmony result shows a high risk of chromosomal abnormalities, confirmation of this diagnosis by invasive testing is recommended. They involve collecting the sample not from the mother, but directly from the fetus.
- Check also: Chorionic villus sampling – indications, course, complications
Harmony test price it ranges from about PLN 2200 to PLN 2600.
Other prenatal tests
There are other ways than the Harmony test to test the risk of a congenital disease in a developing fetus. Among the non-invasive methods, it is also worth mentioning the SANCO test, fetal ultrasound and the complex PAPP-A test. However, the greatest certainty is provided by invasive tests, which are associated with a minimal risk of miscarriage. This group of prenatal tests includes chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis and cordocentesis.