Blood Tests in Pregnancy

Beta HCG

£75

HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone that is produced in the cells of the placenta. Your HCG levels rise very quickly in the first trimester of pregnancy, doubling every 48-72 hours. This means this test can be a good way to check that your pregnancy is progressing when you are too early to have an ultrasound scan. It can also detect a pregnancy earlier than at-home pregnancy tests, and very high levels could indicate a multiple pregnancy.

  • Why HCG?
  • To check the progress of pregnancy in the very early first trimester
  • To get reassurance that things are progressing as they should be
  • To check your hormone levels during pregnancy
  • You’re undergoing fertility treatment and have been advised to have a Beta HCG blood test
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Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)

LJ Pregnancy Co provides a range of Non-Invasive Prenatal Tests (NIPTs). The blood tests are performed by a registered midwife.

NIPTs are a safe and easy prenatal test for detecting fetal chromosomal abnormalities. During pregnancy, the cell-free fetal DNA will circulate into the mother’s blood stream. Using the Next Generation Sequencing technology along with bioinformatics the cell-free fetal DNA is analysed to calculate the risk of having a fetus with chromosomal abnormalities.

The tests can estimate the risk of a baby having Down’s syndrome or some other serious genetic conditions. You can expect your screening test results within 5 working days from sample receipt in the laboratory. The results are >99% accurate and the false positive rates are 0.05%.

NIPT 1

Available from 10 Weeks

£300

NIPT 1 provides analysis of the most common chromosomal abnormalities, these are listed below. 

An early scan is included when carried out before 12 weeks, this is performed prior to your blood test.

*Test available for twin pregnancies.

  • Downs Syndrome (Trisomy 21)
  • Patau’s Syndrome (Trisomy 13)
  • Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18)
  • Gender Determination (optional)
  • Results within 3-5 Working Days
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NIPT 2

Available from 10 Weeks

£400

NIPT 2 includes analysis of the most common abnormalities and the sex chromosome anuploidies (SCA’s), all of which are listed below. 

An early scan is included when carried out before 12 weeks, this is performed prior to your blood test.

*SCA’s (Monosomy X, XXY, XYY & XXX) are not available for twin pregnancies.

  • Downs Syndrome (Trisomy 21)
  • Patau’s Syndrome (Trisomy 13)
  • Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18)
  • Turners Syndrome (Monosomy X)
  • Klinefelter's Syndrome (XXY)
  • Jacob's Syndrome (XYY)
  • Triple-X Syndrome (XXX)
  • Gender Determination (optional)
  • Results within 3-5 Working Days
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NIPT 3

Available from 10 Weeks

£500

NIPT 3 screening is slightly more in depth than NIPT 2. NIPT 3 includes analysis of the most common abnormalities, the rare autosomal trisomies and sex chromosome anuploidies (SCA’s). The abnormalities included with NIPT 3 are listed below. 

An early scan is included when carried out before 12 weeks, this is performed prior to your blood test.

*SCA’s (Monosomy X, XXY, XYY & XXX) are not available for twin pregnancies.

  • Downs Syndrome (Trisomy 21)
  • Patau’s Syndrome (Trisomy 13)
  • Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18)
  • Turners Syndrome (Monosomy X)
  • Klinefelter's Syndrome (XXY)
  • Jacob's Syndrome (XYY)
  • Triple-X Syndrome (XXX)
  • Trisomy 9
  • Trisomy 16
  • Trisomy 22
  • Gender Determination (optional)
  • Results within 3-5 Working Days
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NIPT 4

Available from 10 Weeks

£600

NIPT 4 is the most in depth screening there is available. NIPT 4 includes analysis of the most common abnormalities, the rare autosomal trisomies, sex chromosome anuploidies (SCA’s) and 94 micro deletion/duplications. The abnormalities included with NIPT 4 are listed below. 

An early scan is included when carried out before 12 weeks, this is performed prior to your blood test.

*SCA’s (Monosomy X, XXY, XYY & XXX) are not available for twin pregnancies.

  • Downs Syndrome (Trisomy 21)
  • Patau’s Syndrome (Trisomy 13)
  • Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18)
  • Turners Syndrome (Monosomy X)
  • Klinefelter's Syndrome (XXY)
  • Jacob's Syndrome (XYY)
  • Triple-X Syndrome (XXX)
  • Trisomy 9
  • Trisomy 16
  • Trisomy 22
  • Cri-du-Chat syndrome
  • 1p36 deletion syndrome
  • 2q33.1 deletion syndrome
  • Prader-Willi/ Angelman syndrome
  • Jacobsen Syndrome
  • DiGeorge Syndrome (22q11.2)
  • 16p12.2-p11.2 deletion syndrome
  • Gender Determination (optional)
  • Results within 3-5 Working Days
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Unfortunately you are not eligible for any of the NIPT tests if you:

  • Have received a blood transfusion in the last year
  • Currently have or previously had any type of cancer
  • Currently receiving or have previously had any type of organ transplant or stem cell therapy
  • You have a chromosomal abnormality (either yourself or your partner)
  • Currently have or previously had a malignant tumour during pregnancy
  • If you are pregnant with triplets or more
  • If you have had vanishing twin syndrome over 8 weeks gestation (this pregnancy only)
  • Current or previous tumor
  • You have an abnormal karyotype