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  • What is Prenatal Screening?
    • What Do We Screen For?
    • Multiple Marker Screening (MMS)
    • Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing
    • Nuchal Translucency Ultrasound
    • Options by Pregnancy Stage
    • For Twins or More Than Two Babies
    • Nominate a Condition
  • Results and Next Steps
    • Multiple Marker Screening (MMS) Results
    • Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) Results
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    • Multiple Marker Screening (MMS) Requisitions
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HomeWhat is Prenatal Screening?Options by Pregnancy Stage14-21 Weeks' Pregnant
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14-21 Weeks' Pregnant

Your options at this stage will depend on whether or not you have already had prenatal genetic screening in this pregnancy.  

I Have NOT Had Prenatal Genetic Screening in this Pregnancy

If you are between 14 weeks and 20 weeks 6 days gestation, you may have the choice between Maternal Serum Screening (MSS) and Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT). 

Option 1: Maternal Serum Screening (MSS)

  • Involves a blood test, and can only be done for individuals that are expecting one baby.
  • You can choose to have MSS if you missed the window for an earlier test, called enhanced First Trimester Screening (eFTS). 

Option 2: Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)

  • Involves a blood test, and is the most accurate of the available screening tests.
  • OHIP-funded in certain circumstances (e.g. when there is an increased chance for the baby to have trisomy 21 or trisomy 18).  You can choose to pay for NIPT if the test is not OHIP-funded in your situation.

I Had a Prenatal Genetic Screening Test (eFTS or MSS)

  • If you had another screening test (usually enhanced First Trimester Screening or Maternal Serum Screening), you received either a "screen positive" or "screen negative" result.  
  • Many individuals will not follow up with another prenatal genetic screening test in their pregnancy. However, some will consider having Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT). NIPT is a highly effective screen, consisting of a blood test. NIPT is OHIP-funded in certain situations. For example, a screen positive result from another screening test, or concerns on an ultrasound will mean you can have OHIP-funded NIPT, among other tests.

Regardless of your prenatal genetic screening decisions, you would be offered a detailed anatomy ultrasound. The ultrasound is ideally done between 18 and  22 weeks gestation and is focused on the growth and structural development of the baby (e.g. checking the structure of the baby's heart). 

  • What is Prenatal Screening?
    • What Do We Screen For?
      Toggle Section What Do We Screen For? Menu
      • Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)
      • Trisomy 18
      • Trisomy 13
      • Sex chromosome differences
    • Multiple Marker Screening (MMS)
      Toggle Section Multiple Marker Screening (MMS) Menu
      • Enhanced First Trimester Screening (eFTS)
      • Maternal Serum Screen (MSS)
    • Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing
      Toggle Section Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Menu
      • NIPT Funding Criteria
    • Nuchal Translucency Ultrasound
      Toggle Section Nuchal Translucency Ultrasound Menu
      • Increased Nuchal Translucency
    • Options by Pregnancy Stage
      Toggle Section Options by Pregnancy Stage Menu
      • Less than 14 Weeks' Pregnant
      • 14-21 Weeks' Pregnant
      • Greater than 21 Weeks' Pregnant
    • For Twins or More Than Two Babies
    • Nominate a Condition

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Prenatal Screening Ontario 
CHEO Research Institute 
Centre for Practice-Changing Research Building 
401 Smyth Road 
Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1

Phone: 613-737-2281

Toll-Free: 1-833-351-6490

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