What is Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing?
Non-Invasive prenatal testing is an alternative to the traditional methods (amniocentesis and chorionic villis sampling) of prenatal screening. It is carried out through a simple blood test from the mother. It analyses fetal DNA in the mother’s blood stream for any abnormalities, genetic disorders and down syndrome.
What is Panorama?
Panorama is a market leading non-invasive form of prenatal screening to test for your baby’s risks of genetic disorders. Blood is drawn from the mother’s arm is used to analyse the baby’s DNA from the placenta.
Trisomy Screening
Panorama screens for a number of potential disorders that the baby may have. Some Trisomies can be diagnosed through Panorama. A Trisomy is a genetic condition that is caused by extra copies of a chromosome. Down syndrome is one of the most well known forms of this genetic disorder. Babies diagnosed with Down syndrome often go on to lead a healthy and productive life.
Panorama also screens for Edwards syndrome which is when babies have 3 copies of chromosome 18 which can result in intellectual defects typically involving the heart, brain and kidneys. Unfortunately the majority of pregnancies that are affected by Edwards Syndrome will miscarry or pass away within the first few weeks of their life. Only about 10% survive past their first birthday.
Sex Chromosome Screening
Panorama screens for sex chromosome abnormalities. Sex chromosome abnormalities occur when there is an extra or a missing copy of the sex chromosomes. Turner syndrome is one of the more well-known abnormalities where babies are born with one X chromosome instead of two. Unfortunately a high proportion of pregnancies with Turner syndrome will miscarry in the first or second trimester. Often babies that make it through to term can have learning difficulties, heart defects and suffer from infertility. They will likely require extra medical care throughout their life.
Klinefelter syndrome is where boys develop with an extra X chromosome. Often this condition can be associated with learning difficulties and behavioral problems. About 1 in 1000 babies will be born with Klinefelter syndrome.
Microdeletions
Microdeletions are caused when a chromosome is missing a small piece. The severity of the problems caused by a microdeletion differ from case to case depending on the size and location of the deletion.
22q11.2 deletion syndrome is caused by a missing piece of chromosome number 22. One in 2,000 babies are born with 22q11.2 syndrome. As mentioned above the severity of each case differs depending on how much of the chromosome is missing. Often babies can be born with heart defects, specific facial features and immune system problems. More severe cases can include physical disabilities, kidney problems, speech problems and seizures.
Prader-Willi syndrome occurs when a small piece of chromosome 15 is missing or when both copies of the chromosome come from the same parent. Babies with Prader-Willi syndrome will have low muscle tone and problems with growing and feeding throughout their life. 1 in 10,000 born will have Prader-Willi syndrome.
Triploidy
As it stands, Panorama is currently the only non-invasive means of testing for triploidy. Babies that are born with triploidy have an extra set of chromosomes which makes for a total of 69 rather than 46. It’s extremely rare that these pregnancies reach term as they typically miscarry. Those who make it to term often pass away within a few days of delivery due to heart, brain or kidney problems.
What to Know About Panorama?
It’s Completely Safe
Because Panorama is a non invasive form of prenatal testing, it means that it is completely safe for both you and your fetus. It’s a very simple test that requires a small amount of blood to be drawn from the mother’s arm for testing.
When Can It Be Performed?
Panorama can be performed as early as nine weeks into your pregnancy with results coming back within 10 working days.
Can Panorama Test For Gender?
Yes, Panorama can test for a baby’s gender.
Can Panorama Be Performed on Twins or IVF Donor eggs?
No, it cannot be performed on twins or an IVF donor egg.
How Accurate is Panorama?
Panorama is one of the most accurate tests on the market today. It identifies more than 99% of fetuses with Trisomy 21, 98% of fetuses with Trisomy 18, 80% of fetuses with Trisomy 13, and 96% of fetuses with Turner Syndrome in singleton pregnancies.
Why Choose Panorama?
Panorama detects conditions that other tests can’t, including molar pregnancy Triploidy and vanishing twins. It’s the market’s most extensive and accurate testing available to help diagnose any genetic disorders.
