NACE/NIPT

N – Non Invasive, A – Analysis, C – Chromosomal, E – Examination

The NACE test is a non-invasive prenatal screening test. It detects abnormalities such as down’s syndrome using a simple blood test. 

It is completely safe for the patient and the baby. 

In this test a small sample of blood is withdrawn from your arm just like for any other routine blood test. 

This test can be done from the 10-13th week of pregnancy.

The NACE test uses advanced technology to test foetal DNA extracted from mother’s blood to detect certain abnormalities with great precision and reliability. During pregnancy, a baby’s blood mixes with its mother’s blood. 

Progress in the field of genetics makes it possible for us to extract fetal DNA from  mother’s blood and screen genetic data regarding the baby’s chromosomes.

The NACE test screens for chromosomal abnormalities in the baby. Human beings have 23 pairs of chromosomes with a total of 46 (two copies of each pair). The first 22 pairs are numbered from 1 to 22 which are called autosomes. The last pair determines our sex. Girls have two X chromosomes and boys have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. Health and development issues appear if there is a missing or extra copy of chromosome. When there is an additional copy of a chromosome (i.e. three copies instead of two), it is called a trisomy.

NACE detects with maximum accuracy foetuses with Down’s syndrome. Likewise, it detects other frequent chromosomal alterations (chromosomes 18, 13, X and Y) with an equally high reliability rate.

The test can be performed from the 10th week of your pregnancy.

Indications:
  • Chromosomal abnormalities
  • Pregnant patients with more than 35 years of age
  • Patients conceived by IVF treatment both by own or Donor programme

The NACE test gives more information about the risk of the most frequent foetal aneuploidies than triple screening during the 1st trimester, decreasing the rate of false positives and negatives.