Concierge fetal medicine · London
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), a maternal blood test that screens for trisomies 21, 18, 13 and sex-chromosome aneuploidies from 10 weeks.
NIPT (cell-free DNA) is a maternal blood test that screens for the common trisomies (21, 18, 13) and sex-chromosome aneuploidies from 10 weeks of pregnancy. Very high sensitivity and specificity — positive results are confirmed with amniocentesis or CVS.
Why patients choose us
- 01
The right hands
We route you to a consultant in fetal medicine — the clinician who counsels you before the blood draw is the one who explains the result.
- 02
Results in 5–7 days
Cell-free fetal DNA results from accredited labs typically return within 5–7 working days, with confirmatory pathways ready if the screen is high risk.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Key facts
NIPT in six lines.
The essentials — what NIPT is, when you can have it, and what it does and doesn’t answer.
-
Definition
Cell-free fetal DNA screening from maternal blood.
-
Timing
Available from 10 weeks of pregnancy.
-
Sensitivity
Greater than 99% for trisomy 21.
-
Also screens
Trisomies 18, 13 and sex-chromosome aneuploidies.
-
Confirmation
Positive results are confirmed with amniocentesis or CVS.
-
Complements
Complements the combined first-trimester test.
Indicative pricing
What private NIPT costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A standard NIPT in our network: £400–£650, with results usually within 5–7 working days.
| Test | Indicative range | Appointment | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard NIPT (trisomies 21, 18, 13) | £400–£650 | 15 min | 5–7 days |
| NIPT + sex-chromosome aneuploidies | £450–£750 | 15 min | 5–7 days |
| NIPT + microdeletion panel | £550–£900 | 15 min | 7–10 days |
| NIPT + fetal medicine consultation | £600–£1,000 | 45 min | Same visit + 5–7 days |
| NIPT + first-trimester dating scan | £550–£900 | 45 min | Same visit + 5–7 days |
| Urgent same-week NIPT | £500–£800 | Half-day | Same-week |
Prices vary by clinic, whether sex-chromosome or microdeletion panels are included, and whether a same-visit fetal-medicine consultation is added. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
NIPT is a screen — the counselling around it is what matters.
A very sensitive screen delivers a number. What that number means for your pregnancy — and what comes next — is a conversation, not a print-out. We route you to a fetal-medicine consultant, not a drop-off phlebotomy.
-
Raised risk on combined test?
We arrange NIPT quickly and, if positive, a same-week confirmatory pathway.
-
Advanced maternal age?
We fold NIPT into a proportionate first-trimester assessment with clear counselling.
-
Previous affected pregnancy?
We coordinate NIPT alongside genetics review and confirmatory diagnostic testing if you want it.
How NIPT works
From consultation to result — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to result — with confirmatory pathways ready if needed.
Phase 1 · Before your test
Consultation and dating scan
Phase 2 · On the day
Single maternal blood draw
Phase 3 · After
Results and next steps
- 01
Before
Fetal medicine consultation
A confidential conversation with a consultant — indication, prior screens, family history, and what NIPT can and cannot tell you.
- 02
Before
Confirm ≥ 10 weeks gestation on scan
A short ultrasound confirms viability and dates the pregnancy — cell-free fetal DNA is only reliable from 10 weeks.
- 03
On the day
Single maternal blood draw
A standard venous blood sample from the mother — no fasting, no discomfort beyond a routine phlebotomy.
- 04
On the day
Sample sent to accredited lab
The sample is couriered to a UKAS/CPA-accredited genetics lab for cell-free DNA sequencing and fetal-fraction analysis.
- 05
After
Results within 5–7 working days
A written report delivered by the consultant, with a follow-up consultation to explain the numbers in the context of your pregnancy.
- 06
After
Genetic counselling if positive
A high-risk screen triggers a same-week genetic counselling appointment — no result is delivered by phone without a clinician present.
- 07
After
Confirmatory CVS or amniocentesis if positive
A positive NIPT is a screen, not a diagnosis — confirmation is by CVS (from 11 weeks) or amniocentesis (from 15 weeks).
Typical end-to-end: 7–10 days. Urgent cases: same-week.
What it shows
What NIPT can — and can’t — tell you.
NIPT answers specific questions about chromosome number. It is a screen, not a diagnosis, and it does not replace structural ultrasound.
-
Trisomy 21 (Down’s)
Cell-free fetal DNA screens for trisomy 21 with sensitivity greater than 99%.
-
Trisomy 18 (Edwards’)
High-sensitivity screen for the second most common autosomal trisomy.
-
Trisomy 13 (Patau)
Screens for the least common of the three main autosomal trisomies.
-
Sex-chromosome aneuploidies
Turner, Klinefelter, triple-X and XYY variants when included in the panel.
-
Fetal sex determination
Reliable fetal sex from 10 weeks — optional and consented separately.
-
Vanishing twin considerations
A resolved twin can distort cell-free DNA results; dating and history are essential.
-
Failed test (low fetal fraction)
A small proportion of samples return no result — usually solved by a repeat draw at a later gestation.
-
Red flag: high-risk NIPT + structural anomaly on scan — MFM MDT
A positive screen alongside a structural finding is a multi-disciplinary fetal-medicine review, not a phone call.
Next steps
What comes after the result.
Low-risk, high-risk, or somewhere in between — the pathway is planned before the sample is taken.
-
Reassurance if low risk
A low-risk NIPT with a normal first-trimester scan is powerful reassurance — no further invasive testing is offered.
-
Confirmatory CVS from 11 weeks
Chorionic villus sampling is the diagnostic test for a positive NIPT in the first trimester.
-
Confirmatory amniocentesis from 15 weeks
Amniocentesis is the diagnostic test for a positive NIPT from 15 weeks onward.
-
Detailed fetal anomaly scan
A specialist structural scan alongside a high-risk screen — the chromosomal and structural pictures answer different questions.
-
Fetal medicine referral
Direct referral to a consultant in maternal-fetal medicine for counselling and next-step planning.
-
Multi-disciplinary team review
Obstetrics, genetics, neonatology and paediatric subspecialties convene where the finding warrants it.
-
Postnatal paediatric planning
Where a diagnosis is confirmed, a paediatric plan is arranged before delivery — team, unit and follow-up.
-
Bereavement support if applicable
Specialist bereavement midwifery and psychology, wherever the decision leads.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of clinics, we picked them.
Fetal-medicine partners across central, north, west and south London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every clinic in our network.
-
Consultant fetal medicine specialists (RCOG accredited)
-
UKAS/CPA-accredited cytogenetics laboratory partners
-
Written report with pre- and post-test counselling
-
Direct pathway to CVS, amniocentesis and MFM MDT for positive screens
Red flags and caveats
When NIPT is only one piece of the picture.
NIPT is exceptionally sensitive for the questions it asks. The practical points are what the test doesn’t cover, and when the surrounding picture matters as much as the numbers.
-
High-risk NIPT
A high-risk screen is not a diagnosis — confirmation by CVS or amniocentesis is the standard of care.
-
Structural anomaly on scan
A structural finding alongside NIPT changes the counselling and warrants MFM review.
-
Nuchal translucency > 3.5 mm
A markedly increased NT is a red flag independent of the NIPT result and triggers same-week fetal-medicine review.
-
Failed NIPT (low fetal fraction)
Higher maternal BMI, early gestation and certain medications can lower fetal fraction; a repeat draw usually resolves this.
-
Maternal cancer differential (rare)
Very rarely, unusual cell-free DNA patterns signal maternal malignancy — followed up separately with maternal medicine.
-
Vanishing twin
A resolved co-twin can bias cell-free DNA results — declare any early scan findings before testing.
-
Advanced maternal age
Baseline aneuploidy risk rises with age — NIPT remains a screen, not a substitute for diagnostic testing where appropriate.
-
Previous affected pregnancy
A prior chromosomal or single-gene diagnosis changes the counselling — bring the reports.
-
Consanguinity
Related-parent pregnancies raise the pretest probability of autosomal-recessive conditions — genetic counselling is offered.
Reading your report
An NIPT report can look intimidating. It isn’t.
Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.
A quiet reminder
The report is written for your doctor, not for you — and that’s normal.
If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and gestational age
Your details, gestation confirmed on scan, and the indication for testing.
- 02 Technique
Cell-free DNA method and fetal fraction
Sequencing method used and the measured fetal fraction — the two figures that anchor the result.
- 03 Findings
Risk score by chromosome
Per-chromosome risk (21, 18, 13, and optionally sex chromosomes) reported as low-risk or high-risk with the numerical score.
- 04 Impression
Overall conclusion and next step
Low-risk with continued routine care, or high-risk with the recommended confirmatory test — read this first.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover depends on your policy and clinic; we confirm with your insurer before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about NIPT.
Quick answers on how it works, timing, accuracy, and what happens if the screen is high risk.
-
What is NIPT and how does it work?
NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) analyses cell-free fetal DNA circulating in the mother’s blood. A single maternal blood draw is enough to screen for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 and, optionally, sex-chromosome aneuploidies — with sensitivity greater than 99% for Down’s syndrome.
-
From when in pregnancy can I have NIPT?
From 10 completed weeks of pregnancy. Earlier than that, the proportion of fetal DNA in the maternal circulation (fetal fraction) is usually too low for a reliable result.
-
What does NIPT screen for?
The common autosomal trisomies — 21 (Down’s), 18 (Edwards’) and 13 (Patau) — plus sex-chromosome aneuploidies when included in the panel. Extended panels can add selected microdeletions, though evidence for these is more limited.
-
How accurate is NIPT?
Sensitivity is greater than 99% for trisomy 21, with a very low false-positive rate. It is a screening test — a positive result must be confirmed by CVS or amniocentesis before any irreversible decision is made.
-
What happens if my NIPT is high risk?
You are offered a same-week genetic counselling appointment and a diagnostic confirmatory test — CVS from 11 weeks or amniocentesis from 15 weeks. A high-risk NIPT is a screen result, not a diagnosis.
-
Does NIPT replace amniocentesis or CVS?
No. NIPT is a highly accurate screen; amniocentesis and CVS are diagnostic. A positive NIPT still requires confirmation, and NIPT does not detect the full range of chromosomal or single-gene conditions that diagnostic testing can.
Sources
Clinical guidance and evidence.
- UK National Screening Committee — evaluation of NIPT in the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme.
- RCOG Green-top Guidelines — prenatal diagnosis and non-invasive prenatal testing.
- NICE. Antenatal care (NG201).
- Fetal Medicine Foundation — first-trimester screening and cell-free DNA testing.
Last reviewed 2026-07-30. Next review 2027-07-30. Reviewed by Pulse Atlas Editorial Board (). Approximate reading time 6 minutes.
Related tests
Looking for a different test?
-
First trimester dating scan
CRL-based dating, viability and combined first-trimester screen.
Learn more -
Amniocentesis
Diagnostic confirmatory test from 15 weeks.
Learn more -
Nuchal translucency
Calibrated NT measurement at 11–13+6 weeks.
Learn more -
All tests
Browse every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more -
Endometriosis
Related condition guide.
Learn more -
Menopause
Related condition guide.
Learn more -
Coil IUD IUS Insertion And Removal
Related treatment option.
Learn more -
Colposcopy With Lletz
Related treatment option.
Learn more
In practice, in London
Booking non invasive prenatal tests nipt privately in London — what actually happens
With non invasive prenatal tests nipt, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it — not whether the scan is available. Public provision for non invasive prenatal tests nipt is competent but constrained by capacity. Private London clinics tend to have shorter diaries and longer appointment slots, so you get the same specialists with more time. For people who’ve been going round in circles with primary care, that first proper conversation is often what shifts things.
A private non invasive prenatal tests nipt pathway in London usually looks like this: an initial consultation, any diagnostics booked at a nearby facility (most within Zone 1 or 2), and a written report sent to you and your GP within a few days. The consultants we work with hold NHS posts alongside their private lists, which keeps the standards consistent across both settings. For non invasive prenatal tests nipt specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.
Honesty about expectations is part of the job. A private non invasive prenatal tests nipt appointment in London won’t change the underlying medicine — the guidelines, the consultants, and the equipment are largely the same as on the NHS. What it changes is speed, continuity, and the amount of time you get to actually talk through the findings. Everyone we route to is GMC-registered and works within CQC-regulated facilities.