Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) or Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) is a highly accurate screening test used during pregnancy to assess the risk of certain chromosomal disorders in the fetus, such as:

• Down syndrome (Trisomy 21)
• Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)
• Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)
• Sex chromosome abnormalities (e.g., Turner, Klinefelter syndromes)

 How It Works

NIPT analyzes cell-free fetal DNA found in the mother’s blood, typically from 10 weeks of gestation onward. It is non-invasive, posing no risk to the fetus, unlike diagnostic tests such as amniocentesis or CVS.

Key Points from Current Guidelines

• ACOG recommends offering NIPT to all pregnant individuals, regardless of age or risk.
• It is a screening, not a diagnostic test—positive results should be followed by genetic counseling and confirmatory diagnostic testing.
• NIPT is the most sensitive and specific screening method for common aneuploidies.