What’s included?

If you want to know the biological sex of your new pregnancy, this blood test can quickly and accurately answer that question from 6 weeks. One of the first things to develop in a pregnancy is the placenta which release the baby’s DNA into the mothers blood stream; this safe, non-invasive blood test will screen the mothers blood for pieces of the baby’s DNA and identify if you are having a boy or girl.

How it works?

From early stages of the pregnancy the baby’s DNA can be found in the mother’s blood. The only Genetic difference between males and females is the sex chromosomes. Females have 2 X chromosomes, while males have an X chromosome and a Y-chromosome (XY). By around 6 weeks of pregnancy, there is usually sufficient DNA to be able to detect if there is a Y-chromosome in the mother’s blood, this would mean the baby must be a boy, if no Y-chromosome is detected then the baby will be a girl.

This is not a diagnostic blood test. In some rare cases the test will not work, these include bone or organ transplant by a male donor, sex chromosome abnormality, and placental mosaicism.

The test relies on you accurately recalling the last date your menstruation period started, to ensure there is enough DNA in the blood sample you need to be at least 6 weeks pregnant. In women who weigh more than 85kg you should only do the test after 10 weeks of pregnancy.