HOUSTON – The baby bump is just starting to show on pilates instructor Jeannie Abreu. At 35 years old, she's in the high-risk category, but the result of a new prenatal test has her breathing easier.
"They came actually here to the studio," Abreu said. "They drew my blood and we got the results back within seven days. Everything was fine. I'm low risk for everything."
While tests like ultrasound are common today, the Abreus opted for a relatively new screening method called non-invasive prenatal testing or NIPT.
"It's a blood test from the mother but it looks at cells from the pregnancy, whereas the serum screen looks at markers throughout the mother's blood," Dr. Jill Hechtman said.
It can be done at just nine or 10 weeks into pregnancy, instead of 16, and it is 99 percent accurate in predicting Down syndrome. It's not the only test Hechtman recommends to her clients. She also suggests a genetic test of both parents before couples plan their families.
"Potentially, it could keep you from getting pregnant," Hechtman said. "You might go a different route or, if you have the information, it could help you prepare better for delivery and pregnancy."
Before getting pregnant, Jeannie took a genetic test and learned she inherited a harmful gene mutation that gives her an 80 percent chance of developing breast cancer and a 60 percent chance of getting ovarian cancer by the age of 50.
With that information, Abreu and her husband Roger decided not to wait any longer.
"I'm excited about being a mom, excited about Roger being able to be a father," she said.
While the NIPT is 99 percent accurate, some doctors stress that it only indicates a "risk" for genetic abnormalities, not that the child actually has the disorder. Doctors recommend following up with more testing because some studies show false positives.