Pregnancy can be both a joyous occasion and a stressful time for expectant parents. It is important to get regular checkups with an obstetrician to see if both the mother and child are healthy and well. Some parents may also want to know the gender of the child in advance so they can decorate their nursery or choose a name accordingly. The non-invasive prenatal test or NIPT is the best method to determine the child’s gender and can be done as early as 10 weeks. This is done by conducting a simple gender-determining blood test. While it is accurate in predicting the baby’s gender, it also has a plethora of other benefits.

Here are 3 crucial benefits of getting a gender-determining blood test:

Screen For Possible Birth Defects

The blood sample taken from the mother during a NIPT procedure contains fetal DNA which is released by the placenta into the mother’s bloodstream. Apart from telling the gender of the baby by examining the chromosomes, this test can also let expectant parents know about any genetic defect that the child may have such as Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, Patau syndrome, Trisomy 13, and more.

Eliminate the Need For Invasive Testing

Determining the baby’s gender can rule out the possibility of any sex chromosome-related abnormality in most cases. This is because once the gender has been identified as female, for example, then there is no further need to conduct invasive testing procedures. The rationale behind this is that most recessive disorders are connected to the X chromosomes, making male babies more vulnerable to such defects due to the presence of only a single X chromosome. Thus, most medical practitioners will only opt for invasive prenatal testing if the child is a male and there seem to be other abnormalities in the ultrasound or NIPT procedure.

Better Family Planning

On the off chance that a fetus does have noticeable markers for a genetic disorder, then it gives parents the information in advance to care and prepare better for their child. In some cases, the parents may even choose to ethically terminate the pregnancy if the health markers of the unborn baby are concerning. Either way, it helps parents to be ready for such unexpected scenarios, irrespective of their decision.

Apart from gender-determining blood tests, we at Prenatal Genetics also offer prenatal paternity test facilities for expectant parents. To know more about rates, procedures and services, contact us today.