Non Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) - PrenatalSAFE Karyo Plus

4.8/5
PrenatalSAFE Karyo Plus is our genome-wide non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) with microdeletion screening: every chromosome checked for extra or missing copies and large deletions or duplications, plus nine microdeletion syndromes including DiGeorge, Prader-Willi and Angelman, from one blood sample from 10 weeks of pregnancy. No risk to your baby. From £795, with free genetic counselling included for any high-chance result. Your results are emailed within 10 to 12 working days.... Read more

PrenatalSAFE Karyo Plus is our genome-wide non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) with microdeletion screening: every chromosome checked for extra or missing copies and large deletions or duplications, plus nine microdeletion syndromes including DiGeorge, Prader-Willi and Angelman, from one blood sample from 10 weeks of pregnancy. No risk to your baby. From £795, with free genetic counselling included for any high-chance result. Your results are emailed within 10 to 12 working days.

Key facts

  • Price: £795 at a Goodbody clinic; £815 with a nurse home visit
  • Screens for: everything in PrenatalSAFE Karyo plus nine microdeletion syndromes: DiGeorge (22q11.2), Prader-Willi, Angelman, Cri-du-chat, Wolf-Hirschhorn, 1p36 deletion, Jacobsen, Langer-Giedion and Smith-Magenis
  • From: 10 weeks of pregnancy, after your first scan; single or twin pregnancies, natural or IVF including donor eggs
  • Sample: venous blood from the mother, taken by a professional using the kit we send you
  • Results: emailed within 10 to 12 working days; free genetic counselling for any high-chance result
  • Also available: PrenatalSAFE Karyo (from £645) without microdeletions, results in 5 to 7 working days

Your questions answered

What are microdeletion syndromes?

Conditions caused by a tiny missing piece of a chromosome, too small to see on a karyotype and too small for standard NIPT to detect, but large enough to remove one or more genes. DiGeorge syndrome (22q11.2 deletion) is the most common, affecting around 1 in 2,000 to 4,000 births, and can involve heart defects, cleft palate, immune problems and developmental delay. Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes affect feeding, growth, learning and behaviour. Unlike Down's syndrome, microdeletions are not linked to the mother's age, so a young mother is at the same chance as an older one, which is why screening for them is a separate decision.

Which microdeletions does PrenatalSAFE Karyo Plus screen for?

Nine: DiGeorge syndrome (22q11.2), Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman syndrome (both 15q11.2), Cri-du-chat syndrome (5p), Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (4p), 1p36 deletion syndrome, Jacobsen syndrome (11q), Langer-Giedion syndrome (8q) and Smith-Magenis syndrome (17p). None of them is screened for by the NHS or by standard NIPT.

What else does Karyo Plus test for?

Everything in PrenatalSAFE Karyo: Down's, Edwards' and Patau syndromes; the sex chromosome conditions Turner, Klinefelter, Triple X and Jacobs; every other chromosome for extra or missing copies; and deletions or duplications larger than 7 Mb anywhere in the genome. The baby's sex is reported if you wish. The microdeletion analysis is added on top.

How accurate is microdeletion screening by NIPT?

Less certain than screening for Down's syndrome, and it is important to know that. Because each microdeletion is rare, the positive predictive value of a high-chance result is lower than for the common trisomies, so a high-chance result is never treated as a diagnosis, genetic counselling is included, and confirmation by amniocentesis with a microarray is recommended before any decision. A low-chance result is reassuring but does not exclude all microdeletions, particularly very small ones.

Is NIPT a diagnostic test?

No. NIPT is a screening test. It reads fragments of placental DNA in your blood and reports whether the chance of each condition is high or low. Because placental DNA occasionally differs from the baby's, a high-chance result must be confirmed with a diagnostic test, chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis, before any decision is made, and the NHS will arrange that. A low-chance result is strongly reassuring but not a guarantee, and it does not screen for every condition or for structural problems, which the 20-week scan looks for.

What happens if the result is high chance?

You are contacted personally rather than simply emailed, and offered a consultation with a professional genetic counsellor at no extra cost, included in the price of every PrenatalSAFE test. The counsellor explains exactly what the result means for your pregnancy, the confirmatory options available on the NHS, and the timescales, and can talk to your midwife or consultant. You are not left to interpret a report alone.

Why do Karyo Plus results take longer?

Because the microdeletion analysis is a separate, deeper read of specific regions of the genome after the whole-chromosome count, and it is reviewed by a clinical scientist before release. Results are emailed within 10 to 12 working days of the laboratory receiving your sample, compared with 5 to 7 for PrenatalSAFE Karyo. If you want the whole-chromosome results sooner and microdeletions are not a priority, Karyo is the faster and cheaper option.

Can I have Karyo Plus with twins or after IVF?

IVF pregnancies, including those from donor eggs, are fine for every PrenatalSAFE test. Twins are more limited: with identical twins (one placenta) all results including sex can be reported; with non-identical twins (two placentas) the baby's sex is not reported, and sex chromosome conditions are not reported for any twin pregnancy. Microdeletion results in twin pregnancies should be discussed with us before booking. A vanishing twin, where one of two embryos stopped developing early, also affects what can be reported; tell us when you book.

How is this different from the NHS screening test?

The NHS offers the combined test at 11 to 14 weeks, an ultrasound measurement plus two blood markers, which gives a chance figure and misses around one in ten Down's syndrome pregnancies. Only women whose combined test shows a chance of 1 in 150 or higher are then offered NIPT on the NHS, and NHS NIPT screens for Down's, Edwards' and Patau syndromes only. A private NIPT can be taken by anyone from 10 weeks, without waiting for the combined test result, and the wider PrenatalSAFE panels screen for conditions the NHS test does not cover.

What do I need before I can have the test?

You must be at least 10 weeks pregnant and have had your first scan, NHS or private, to confirm dates and the number of babies. Goodbody sends you a specialised collection kit to bring to your appointment at one of 250+ clinics or for the nurse who visits your home; the venous sample must be taken by a qualified professional. No fasting or preparation is needed, and the test is safe at any stage after 10 weeks.

How much does the Karyo Plus NIPT cost?

£795 at one of 250+ Goodbody clinics or £815 with a nurse home visit, including the collection kit, laboratory analysis, your report and genetic counselling for any high-chance result. NIPT with microdeletion screening in the UK typically costs £700 to £950.

Which PrenatalSAFE test should I choose?

Choose by how much you want to know:

Test Screens for Price Results
PrenatalSAFE 3 Down's, Edwards' and Patau syndromes, and your baby's sex from £315 3 to 5 working days
PrenatalSAFE 5 Everything in 3, plus Turner, Klinefelter, Triple X and Jacobs syndromes (sex chromosome conditions) from £375 3 to 5 working days
PrenatalSAFE Karyo Everything in 5, plus every chromosome checked for extra or missing copies and for deletions or duplications over 7 Mb from £645 5 to 7 working days
PrenatalSAFE Karyo Plus Everything in Karyo, plus 9 microdeletion syndromes including DiGeorge, Prader-Willi and Angelman from £795 10 to 12 working days
PrenatalSAFE Complete Plus Everything in Karyo Plus, plus 5 inherited genetic diseases and up to 50 de novo conditions from £1,545 10 then 20 working days

What happens next

Your results report is emailed to you within 10 to 12 working days of your sample reaching the laboratory, stating clearly for each condition whether the chance is low or high. If any result is high chance you are contacted personally and offered a consultation with a professional genetic counsellor at no extra cost, who explains the result and the confirmatory testing available through the NHS. All samples are analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.

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  • Venous Sample
  • UKAS Accredited Laboratory
  • From 10 Weeks Pregnancy
  • 250+ Clinic Locations
  • Results in 10-12 working days
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What biomarkers do we test?

Compare NIPT tests

Find the right test for your pregnancy

All Goodbody NIPT tests use a simple, safe blood sample from 10 weeks. The right one for you depends on how much you want to know.

Compare Goodbody's NIPT tests by features and price.
Compare tests
PrenatalSAFE 3 From £315 View test
PrenatalSAFE 5 From £375 View test
PrenatalSAFE Karyo From £645 View test
Most popular PrenatalSAFE Karyo Plus From £795 Your selection
Most comprehensive PrenatalSAFE Complete Plus From £1,545 Upgrade
Conditions screened 3 7 10 19 21+
Down, Edwards & Patau syndrome Trisomy 21, 18 & 13
Sex chromosome disorders Turner, Klinefelter, Jacobs
All 23 chromosome pairs Aneuploidies, deletions & duplications
9 microdeletion syndromes Prader-Willi, Angelman, DiGeorge & more
5 inherited genetic diseases Cystic fibrosis, sickle cell, thalassemia, deafness
~50 De Novo diseases Spontaneous mutations not inherited from parents
Gender identification Single pregnancies & identical twins
Twin pregnancy
Results turnaround 3–5 working days 3–5 working days 5–7 working days 10–12 working days Staged: 10 & 20 working days
From pregnancy week 10 weeks 10 weeks 10 weeks 10 weeks 10 weeks
Sample collection In-clinic or at home In-clinic or at home In-clinic or at home In-clinic or at home In-clinic or at home
Free post-test genetic counselling Included with every positive result
Price (from)£315£375£645£795£1,545
Choose test Choose Choose Choose Your selection Choose

PrenatalSAFE 3

From £315 View test
3 Conditions screened
  • Down, Edwards & Patau syndrome
  • Sex chromosome disorders
  • All 23 chromosome pairs
  • 9 microdeletion syndromes
  • 5 inherited genetic diseases
  • ~50 De Novo diseases
  • Gender identification
  • Twin pregnancy
  • Free post-test genetic counselling
Results turnaround
3–5 working days
From pregnancy week
10 weeks
Sample collection
In-clinic or at home

PrenatalSAFE 5

From £375 View test
7 Conditions screened
  • Down, Edwards & Patau syndrome
  • Sex chromosome disorders
  • All 23 chromosome pairs
  • 9 microdeletion syndromes
  • 5 inherited genetic diseases
  • ~50 De Novo diseases
  • Gender identification
  • Twin pregnancy
  • Free post-test genetic counselling
Results turnaround
3–5 working days
From pregnancy week
10 weeks
Sample collection
In-clinic or at home

PrenatalSAFE Karyo

From £645 View test
10 Conditions screened
  • Down, Edwards & Patau syndrome
  • Sex chromosome disorders
  • All 23 chromosome pairs
  • 9 microdeletion syndromes
  • 5 inherited genetic diseases
  • ~50 De Novo diseases
  • Gender identification
  • Twin pregnancy
  • Free post-test genetic counselling
Results turnaround
5–7 working days
From pregnancy week
10 weeks
Sample collection
In-clinic or at home
Most comprehensive

PrenatalSAFE Complete Plus

From £1,545 Upgrade
21+ Conditions screened
  • Down, Edwards & Patau syndrome
  • Sex chromosome disorders
  • All 23 chromosome pairs
  • 9 microdeletion syndromes
  • 5 inherited genetic diseases
  • ~50 De Novo diseases
  • Gender identification
  • Twin pregnancy
  • Free post-test genetic counselling
Results turnaround
Staged: 10 & 20 working days
From pregnancy week
10 weeks
Sample collection
In-clinic or at home

All prices are for in-clinic appointments. Home visits available at a small additional cost. Free post-test genetic counselling is included with every test should a positive result arise.

Meet the clinical lead

Hear Dr Roy explain how NIPT testing works

Dr Roy Naja

PhD, DipRCPath · Clinical Scientist

This is the safest and easiest way to find out the gender or check the genetic health of your baby during pregnancy, with FREE genetic counselling provided if you receive a positive result for any health condition. We provide a specialised testing kit to take with you to your appointment and a FREE pre-consultation on Karyo, Karyo Plus, and Complete Plus Tests.

How our NIPT tests work

Book online...

Book online, receive your kit and take to your local Goodbody clinic.

Send it back…

Send your sample in the post to be analysed at an accredited laboratory.

Get results.

Get your comprehensive detailed results report from the laboratory, with guidance from our support team.

Who are prenatal
blood tests for?

How do the NIPT tests work?

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