No NIPT Result

Sometimes, NIPT doesn't give a result. If your Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) did not work, you might have questions about why this happened and what to do next. It’s important to know that most of the time, the baby is healthy.

Are you a health-care practitioner? Check out this infographic on NIPT failures in Ontario to guide your counselling.

Download infographic

question icon

| What the result means

The most common reason for no result is that the blood sample didn’t have enough DNA from the pregnancy. This is called "low fetal fraction" on the report. Here are some possible reasons:

Timing of the test - if the blood was taken too early in the pregnancy, it’s more likely to have no result.
Biological reasons - things like higher body weight, carrying twins, or pregnancies through IVF can make it harder to get a result.
Chromosome differences - sometimes, a "no call" result can mean the baby has a chromosome difference.

In some cases, it’s not possible to know why the test didn’t work.

report icon

| Next steps

One of your options might be to have another NIPT blood draw. The report will tell you whether a second try is recommended in your situation. The NIPT is successful about half the time when a re-draw is done. If you paid for NIPT yourself, there is no extra cost for having your blood re-drawn.

Other options might be:

Doing another type of prenatal genetic screening test

You might have the option of having another screening test (enhanced First Trimester Screening or Second Trimester Screening). If you have a twin pregnancy, other prenatal screening tests are not possible for you.

Getting a referral to a specialist in genetics

A genetics specialist can review your options and provide support. You might choose to have a diagnostic test if you had a couple of failed attempts at NIPT or if a re-draw is not recommended in your situation. Diagnostic testing can tell you if the baby has a chromosome difference or not.

Doing a 18-22 week (detailed anatomy) ultrasound

All pregnant people are offered the option of a 18-22 week (detailed anatomy) ultrasound. This ultrasound checks how the baby is growing and developing.

Choosing no more testing in this pregnancy

Some people choose not to have any more testing in the pregnancy. If there are other concerns, you might be offered diagnostic testing after the baby is born.