Tests to Consider During Pregnancy

Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screening Test

The Cystic Fibrosis Carrier test is made available to you on a voluntary basis.  This blood test determines whether or not you are a carrier for 32 cystic fibrosis mutations.  Testing can be the right decision for some people and not right for others based on many factors.  These include your level of risk, your family situation, plans and needs and your religious and spiritual beliefs.

If after reading the informational booklet you want to be tested, or simply want to know more about the test, you should tell your health care provider that you are interested in learning more about CF carrier testing.  You may also want to check to make certain that the cost of CF testing is covered by your insurance plan.  It will be YOUR responsibility to contact your insurance company to determine if the test is a covered benefit on your plan.  The test itself can cost approximately between $300 to $800.

When calling your insurance company, they may ask you for CPT codes.  The CPT codes for the Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screen are:

CPT:  83891; 83900; 83901 (x14); 83909; 83912; 83914 (x25)

First Trimester Screen

We use NTD (www.ntdlabs.com) lab to perform the 1st Trimester Screen. It is imperative that this test be performed between 11 to 13 weeks, 6 days of your pregnancy.  This prenatal screening for Down syndrome, First Trimester Screen|Fβ, uses a non-invasive method to determine a patient's risk for having a baby with Down syndrome, and trisomy 18 and 13 earlier in the pregnancy than alternative protocols and with higher detection rates and lower false positive rates. It is the only high sensitivity prenatal screen that uses the free Beta hCG biomarker along with PAPP-A and Nuchal Translucency measurement in assessing individual patient risk for a fetus with Down syndrome. With the use of this screen, physicians can provide earlier assurance and earlier answers at a 91% detection rate and a 5% false positive rate (sensitivity increases to a 95% detection rate at a 2% false positive rate when patients undergo a prenatal fetal nasal bone assessment as well).

Fetal Fibronectin Test

We also perform same-day Fetal Fibronectin tests (fFN) to determine the likelihood of a pregnant mother delivering her baby prematurely. 

Fetal fibronectin (also known as fFN) is a “glue-like” protein that bonds your developing baby to your uterus. Fetal fibronectin is detectable in vaginal secretions in the very beginning of pregnancy, when this bond is first forming, and then again at the end of pregnancy, when your body is getting ready to deliver your baby.  After the 35th week of pregnancy, it begins to break down naturally, and is detectable. If your body is getting ready to give birth prematurely, fFN may be detected before week 35.

Learn more at www.ffntest.com.

If you would like to have any of these tests performed or have questions, please call our office at 303-755-0120 to schedule a lab appointment.