Prenatal testing. How much do they cost and when are they refunded?

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Fear for the baby’s health accompanies the mother-to-be for almost the entire 9-month period. In addition, if the pregnancy is not going well, spotting and cramps appear, the woman is ready to do anything to wait for a happy solution. Sometimes, however, nothing is worrying, and during the delivery it turns out that the baby is not healthy. Earlier detection of abnormalities in the fetus is possible thanks to prenatal tests. What are they, how much do they cost and can they be refunded?

What is prenatal testing?

Prenatal tests are tests that can detect developmental defects and genetic diseases in a child at an early stage of pregnancy. Thanks to them, it is possible to assess the condition of subsequent elements of the body structure and the correctness of the child’s vital functions.

They allow parents to properly prepare for the birth of a sick child, and when detected at an early stage of pregnancy, they allow for the initiation of treatment in the wombwithout the need to terminate the pregnancy early in order to save the baby’s life.

Prenatal examinations are divided into non-invasive and invasive. The former are completely safe for the baby and mother. Performing invasive prenatal tests carries some risks, but is sometimes the only method.

Non-invasive prenatal testing

Non-invasive prenatal testing, also known as screening tests are diagnostic methods that are able to assess its condition without dangerous interference with the mother’s or child’s body. Non-invasive prenatal tests include a number of blood tests and ultrasound.

Genetic ultrasound

This test is performed at the turn of the 11st and 14nd trimester of pregnancy in every woman. They should be carried out between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth week of pregnancy – only during this period the doctor will be able to carefully inspect the baby and check all the necessary parameters. The doctor assesses the presence of the child’s internal organs, such as the heart, kidneys, stomach and bladder, as well as the limbs and spine.

In addition, ultrasound allows you to check the transparency of the neck fold, the presence of the nasal bone, the condition of the chorion, the child’s movements, the condition of the uterus and placenta, the child’s heart rate, body length and blood flow in the veins.

What diseases can genetic ultrasound detect? You should know that genetic ultrasound is not aimed at detecting the disease, but only at assessing the probability and risk of the disease in a child. This mainly applies to Down’s syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Turner syndrome. Genetic ultrasound also allows for diagnosis of spina bifida, lips and palate.

It is performed lying down. The doctor puts a special gel on the patient’s abdomen, which facilitates the examination. Then, by placing the ultrasound head and pressing it at the right angles, it examines the next parts of the body, organs and limbs. The test takes about 40 minutes. The cost of genetic ultrasound is 150-250 PLN.

Find out what is happening to the baby in the 25th week of pregnancy

Test PAPP-A

The PAPP-A test is often also called the double test. It is estimated that up to 90 percent of its performance. is able to confirm or rule out genetic defects and abnormalities in a child’s development. Double test is performed between the 11th and 14th week of pregnancy. As the timeframe in which it can be performed is very tight, it is crucial to define the date of conception as accurately as possible.

The PAPP-A test is based on the assessment of the concentration of two substances in the body – beta-HCG and the PAPP-A protein. The analysis of both results in conjunction with the results of the genetic ultrasound regarding the translucency of the nuchal fold allow the doctor to make an appropriate diagnosis.

What diseases does the PAPP-A test detect? The duplicate test allows you to determine the risk of genetic diseasessuch as Down syndrome, Patau syndrome, Turner syndrome and Edwards syndrome. We speak of a high risk of these diseases when the double test result is higher than 1: 300.

The PAPP-A test is performed by taking a blood sample from a vein in the arm of a pregnant woman. The examination does not require any special preparation and you do not need to be fasting. The cost of a double test is about PLN 250.

Triple test

The triple test is performed between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is performed by taking blood from a vein in the arm of a pregnant patient. To obtain the test result, it is necessary to check the concentration of beta-HCG, alpha-fetoprotein and estriol by the laboratory. Only by analyzing their results can be given triple test result.

What diseases can the triple test detect? The triple test is performed to assess the risk of diseases affecting the nervous system as well as Down’s disease and Edwards syndrome. The effectiveness of triple tests however, it is not the greatest. It is estimated to be around 60 percent. For this reason, it is mainly performed in women who, for some reason, have not had the time to undergo prenatal tests, which should be performed at the earlier stages of pregnancy. The cost of the triple test is about PLN 250.

Test Harmony

The Harmony test is another non-invasive test included in the group of prenatal tests. It consists in examining a blood sample taken from a pregnant patient and examining her for the risk of the three most common trisomies, i.e. genetic defects of the child.

Trisomy 21 is responsible for the development of Down’s syndrome, trisomy 18 is the cause of Edwards’ syndrome, and trisomy 13 is the cause of Patau’s syndrome. It is estimated that Down syndrome affects 1 in 740 babies born, Edwards syndrome affects 1 in 5 thousand children. children, and the Patau syndrome 1 per 16 thousand. births.

The Harmony test is the latest, which allows to assess the risk of genetic defects, and is considered the most accurate – it is estimated that its accuracy reaches up to 99%. It is performed in women after the 10th week of pregnancy, including those who have decided to undergo in vitro fertilization. The cost of the Harmony test is approx. PLN 2,5 thousand. zloty.

Sanco test

Performing the Sanco test requires collecting at least 10 ml of venous blood from the expectant mother. It is performed after the 10th week of pregnancy, and its result is available 8 days after the blood sample is taken. There are two types of this test on the market today:

1. Sanco, which allows you to assess the risk of Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, Patau syndrome, as well as Turner syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome;
2. SancoPlus, which allows you to assess the risk of atherosclerosis, as in the Sancoor tests with DiGeorge syndrome, Cr-Du-Chat syndrome known as cat scream syndrome, 1p36, Prader-Wili / Angelman syndrome, and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

In addition, the Sanco test allows to determine the Rh fetus, thanks to which it is possible to assess the risk of serological conflict on the mother-child line. If the mother’s blood is Rh negative and the fetus is Rh positive, it is given to the mother after the 28th week of pregnancy anti-D immunoglobulin. The price of the Sanco test is about PLN 2,4 thousand. zloty. If you choose the Sanco Plus test, the price will be approx. 2,8 thousand. zloty.

Test NIFTY pro

The NIFTY pro test is an improved version of the known and used for many years NIFTY methods, from which it differs mainly in the greater range of disorders, the risk of which it is able to assess. Specialists consider it the most comprehensive non-invasive prenatal examination.

The NIFTY pro test measures your baby’s risk of Down’s, Edwards and Patau’s syndromes and 9, 16, and 22 chromosome trisomy. It also assesses the likelihood of Turner syndrome, XXX, XYY, Klinefelter’s syndrome, and 84 microdeletions and microduplications.

NIFTY pro is performed between the 10th and 24th week of pregnancy. The test material is the patient’s venous blood. Its result is obtained through the isolation of the baby’s DNA, which is achieved through Next Generation Sequestering. The cost of the NIFTY pro test is approx. PLN 2,5 thousand. zloty.

Invasive prenatal testing

Invasive prenatal tests are ordered only in cases where other tests performed previously indicated the possibility of a genetic defect in the child. As their performance involves surgery, in each case it may be associated with complications.

Their undoubted advantage is that they are able to quickly diagnose and assess the extent of abnormalities in a child’s development. However, it is important to know that postoperative complications are possible and concern 1-2% of patients. cases. The most common are pregnancy loss, drainage of the amniotic fluid, cramps, infection and vaginal bleeding.

Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is the most commonly performed invasive examination of the fetus. It involves taking a sample of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby. First, by means of an ultrasound examination, the doctor determines where the child is located, and then uses a special needle to puncture it fetal bladder and takes the required fluid sample. The sample is then tested for the baby’s karyotype.

Amniocentesis is performed between 13 and 19 weeks of pregnancy. In addition to assessing the risk of genetic diseases, amniocentesis is also performed when necessary establishing paternity the child before it is born. The most common complications of amniocentesis include:

1. puncture of the child’s organs;
2. rupture of the fetal bladder;
3. bleeding of the mother or child;
4. damage to the umbilical cord
5. bearing damage
6. departure of amniotic fluid.

The cost of amniocentesis varies from 1,3 thousand. PLN up to 2 zloty.

Chorionic villus sampling

Chorionic villus sampling (trophoblast) is performed in pregnant women not younger than 11 and not older than 14 weeks. Thanks to this genetic defect of the fetus it can be detected very early in pregnancy. The examination consists in taking a part of the chorion. This happens while performing an ultrasound scan, which allows you to actually see what is happening in the mother’s belly at the moment.

Sometimes, however, instead of puncturing the abdominal wall, the doctor decides to collect part of the chorion through a catheter inserted into the cervix. The sample collected in this way is subjected to molecular tests. The final result is known after a few days, but sometimes the chorion is subjected to advanced tests that may take up to several weeks. Chorionic villus sampling costs about 1,5 thousand. zloty.

Cordocentesis

Cordocentesis is a test that assesses cord blood. To make it possible, the doctor punctures the mother’s abdominal wall and collects the sample needed for the examination from the umbilical cord loop. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The result is available after about a week.

Cordocentesis is carried out until the 18th week of pregnancy because it is associated with twice the risk of complications than amniocentesis. The test is usually performed on women who have been diagnosed serological conflict. Performing cordocentesis allows the determination of the chromosome set and the baby’s DNA. In addition, thanks to it, it is possible to diagnose anemia in the fetus, especially in the case of severe anemia or generalized fetal edema, and to regularly carry out life-saving transfusions. The cost of a cordocentesis test is approx. zloty.

Indications for prenatal tests

It’s important to know that the main goal of prenatal testing is not to reduce the nerve and stress levels of parents who are concerned about their baby being born healthy. In many cases, prenatal tests are carried out to save the life of an unborn child, diagnose and cure many diseases in the prenatal life, and to improve the child’s quality of life in the future.

It must be remembered that non-invasive diagnostic tests are not aimed at diagnosing a specific disease, but at assessing the risk of its occurrence. As these tests are safe for both mother and baby, they should be performed when:

1. the pregnant woman is more than 35 years old;
2. children with genetic defects were born in the family of the mother or father;
3. the first pregnancy ended in giving birth to a child with a genetic disease, neurological or metabolic defects;
4. the result of the previously performed double and / or triple tests was abnormal;
5. the genetic ultrasound was abnormal.

Reimbursement of prenatal tests

Unfortunately, not all tests are reimbursed by the National Health Fund. The doctor will issue a referral for a reimbursed prenatal examination when the patient belongs to the risk group, i.e. meets all the conditions that are indications for their performance. They must be over 35 years old, have given birth to a child with a genetic defect earlier, have had a family history of having children with defects or have test results confirming that the child is not developing properly. In these cases, the following tests are subject to refund:

1. genetic ultrasound examination;
2. test PAPP-A;
3. triple test;
4. amniocentesis;
5. chorionic villus sampling;
6. cordocentesis

If the above conditions are not met, the expectant mother, who is concerned about the health of her baby, can perform prenatal tests, but at her own expense. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to afford them. However, it is important to remember that early detection of genetic defects or abnormalities in the child’s development, possible thanks to prenatal tests, gives the child a chance for a healthy life.

Some defects can be treated in the womb of the child, others can be cured right after the delivery of a sick child. However, for this to happen, doctors and midwives who give birth must be prepared for it – prenatal examinations make it possible.

Sometimes parents find out that they are to be born incurably sick child. If they know about it at the beginning of pregnancy, they have time to get used to it and organize their lives to take care of the disabled child. Sometimes, however, the situation is too much for them, they know that they will not be able to raise a sick child and decide to terminate the pregnancy in the first weeks.

According to Polish law, abortion is possible only in the case of a serious and irreversible disease of the unborn child, irreversible impairment of the child or when the pregnancy threatens the life of the child or mother. The decision to terminate a pregnancy is never easy, so it is good for parents who find out about their child’s disease to be under psychological care.

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