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Antenatal Fetal Evaluation SAFE Test

The Safe Test

The SAFE Test

St George’s Antenatal Fetal Evaluation – Non invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)

Why have the SAFE test? As part of the national screening pathway women are offered the ‘combined test’ in the first trimester of pregnancy. This evaluates hormonal blood levels with ultrasound findings to assess the chance of chromosomal or structural anomalies. Although the range of conditions that can be detected by this method is broader than the number of conditions identified by the SAFE test, the SAFE test has a higher detection rate for Down’s, Patau’s and Edward’s syndrome.

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) is a blood test taken from the mother in pregnancy, that uses cutting edge DNA technology to evaluate whether a baby has a high chance of a certain chromosomal condition.

The St George’s Antenatal Fetal Evaluation (SAFE) test is a NIPT test is a screening test for Down’s, Edwards’ and Patau’s syndromes only, in line with UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) recommendations. The test is performed by taking a small sample of the mother’s blood. which is then sent to the NHS laboratory at St George’s Hospital for assessment. The results are typically available within 7 calendar days from sample receipt.

Find out more at St Georges Hospital Site or Contact us to discuss the details further or to book your test.

Fast Reliable Screening.

From Globaly Recognised Antenatal Experts

HIGH DETECTION RATES

Although the range of conditions detected by the traditional “combined” test is broader,  the SAFE test has a higher detection rate for Down’s, Patau’s and Edward’s syndrome.

 

 

 

 

FAST TESTING

The test is performed by taking a small sample of the mother’s blood which is then sent to the NHS lab at St George’s Hospital for assessment. Results are typically available within 7 days

 

 

 

 

 

WIDE SUITABILITY

The test is suitable from 10 weeks of pregnancy for all single and identical twins pregnancies, including IVF, egg donor or surrogate pregnancies. For non-identical and vanishing twin, test sensitivity is reduced.

 

 

 

 

The SAFE Test Explained

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)

How Does The SAFE Test Work

During pregnancy the placenta sheds cell free DNA (cfDNA) into the mother’s bloodstream. As a result, the mother’s blood contains a mixture of placental and maternal cfDNA. By evaluating the cfDNA in the blood and combining this with the mother’s background chance of a trisomy (mother’s age or the combined test results offered within the NHS), a likelihood ratio is obtained to predict whether or not the baby is more likely to have a chromosomal condition such as Down’s syndrome.

How is the SAFE test reported?

Low chance: means that it is very unlikely that your pregnancy is affected by trisomy 21, 18 or 13, and therefore very unlikely that your baby has Down’s, Edwards’ or Patau’s syndrome.

High chance: means that there is an increased chance that your baby will have trisomy 21, 18 or 13 and that the result should be confirmed by an invasive diagnostic test.

No call result: in a very small number of cases (1 in 200) tests may not yield a result for a variety of reasons. In this instance the clinical team will discuss your available options.

 

Find out more at St Georges Hospital Site or Contact us to discuss the details further or to book your test.

The Safe Test