Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)

What is a Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)?

Generation is non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) that screens for chromosomal changes that can affect your baby's future health.

NIPT uses a blood sample from the mother to determine the chance of a chromosomal condition in the developing baby from as early as the 10th week of pregnancy. Generation is highly accurate and safe, and may help avoid more invasive prenatal testing by amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling.

Three NIPT options are available:

Generation
Generation 46
Generation Plus.

All options provide information on the chance that your baby is affected by common chromosomal conditions including Down syndrome. Your doctor can advise on the best Generation test for your personal circumstances.

Generation test features

You can have an NIPT blood test as early as 10 weeks.
NIPT has a 99% accuracy rate for Trisomy 21,18 & 13. for Trisomy 21, 18 & 13.
All screens are analysed in a NATA/RCPA accredited laboratory. Generation and Generation 46 are performed in our accredited Australian laboratory. If a Generation Plus test is requested, your sample will be sent to an accredited laboratory in California.
The lowest reported test failure rate of any NIPT.
Doctors will receive results within 3-7 business days of sample arriving at the Genomic Diagnostics laboratory for Generation and Generation 46, and 11-15 business days of sample arriving at the overseas laboratory for Generation Plus.
Only a single tube of blood is drawn.

Why should I take the Generation test?

The Generation test can be used to obtain important and accurate information about the health of your developing baby in the first trimester (at 10 weeks), with little or no risk to the pregnancy.

This screening test may be an option for you if:

You will be 35 years or older at the time of delivery (32 years or older for a twin pregnancy)
You have an abnormal or “positive” serum screen
Your ultrasound has revealed concerns or abnormalities with foetal growth and / or development
You have a personal or family history suggestive of a chromosome disorder (eg. Down syndrome)

What’s more, clinical best practice guidelines from Australian and international medical societies recommend that all pregnant women, regardless of risk status, be given the opportunity to take an NIPT and other available prenatal screening and diagnostic tests.

How does the Generation test work?

During pregnancy, some of the baby’s DNA from the placenta crosses into your bloodstream. After your blood test, the Generation NIPT tests this DNA to identify certain chromosome conditions in your pregnancy.

The Generation test takes a deeper approach to the science, using an advanced technology called “Massively Parallel Sequencing” to analyse millions of DNA fragments per sample and accurately count the number of chromosomes present to determine if there are too many or too few copies of the tested chromosomes in your baby.

Patients' process

Step 1

Doctor referral

NIPT testing can provide important health information on your baby. See your doctor, who can discuss the appropriate Generation option with you, and request the test.

Step 2

Test prepayment

Prepay your test online. Record your receipt number on the request form. You will also need to sign the Patient Consent section on the request form before blood collection.

Step 3

Sample collection

You can have your sample collected at ony of our 2000+ collection centres. Bring your Generation request form with you when having your blood collected.

Generation Plus is not collected each day. Please check on your request form for exact collection days. Your sample is then transported to the laboratory, and tested.

Step 4

Doctor visit

Your result is provided to your doctor, who will discuss this with you and action any relevant findings. Genetic counselling is offered free of charge for all high risk results.

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Generation

Screening for the most common chromosomal changes in your unborn child.

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425

Generation 46

Screening all chromosomes for changes in your unborn child.

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449

Generation Plus

Screening for the most common chromosomal changes along with specific microdeletion syndromes.

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799

Generation NIPT is a highly accurate, non-invasive prenatal screening test, based on whole genome sequencing (WGS) with proprietary algorithms. The test analyses circulating cell-free fetal DNA, detected from a maternal blood sample, with testing from as early as 10 weeks gestation.

The clinical utility and benefit of the Generation test has been demonstrated in all pregnant women – regardless of age or risk category – in multiple published studies of thousands of pregnant women, for both singleton and twin pregnancies. Clinical best practice guidelines from Australian and international medical societies recommend that all pregnant women, regardless of risk status, should be offered the opportunity for discussion and choice regarding NIPT.