We want to understand more about your interactions with genetic screening providers, such as Progenity, Natera, Harmony and others.
This article was published on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 in ProPublica.
By Adriana Gallardo, Anna Clark and Mariam Elba
Elective genetic screenings before and during pregnancy are safer and more available than ever.
Tests, known as noninvasive prenatal tests, or NIPTs, involve a draw of the expectant parent’s blood. Other tests, called carrier tests, are done before a person gets pregnant to screen for genetic abnormalities. Some common NIPT companies include Progenity, Natera and Harmony. Providers promise to predict the risk for chromosomal abnormalities, without risk to the fetus.
These tests can also be very expensive.
A number of expectant and new mothers have suggested that we look into the effectiveness, cost and transparency of these tests. We want to understand more about the billing process and communication following positive test results. If you have taken or given one of these tests, either as an expectant parent or a provider who works in maternal health, please fill out the brief questionnaire here.
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