NIPT / gender tests in the UK?

[naturediva]

Hello all,

I have been swaying pink since May and just got my BFP! This is my first post to the forums. I'm totally over the moon to be pregnant, but of course am now dying to know if it's a boy or a girl!! I could wait until the ultrasound scans, but I'd love to have some more certainty (and know sooner!).

I live in the UK and have looked into options for gender testing, and while it looks like you can do the Harmony and other NIPT tests in the US for $100 or so out of pocket, in the UK they seem to cost £400+ for packages that include private ultrasounds, etc. Sadly, this is out of our budget.

Have any of you UK ladies done gender blood tests, and have you managed to get them covered by the NHS or found affordable options? I'd really appreciate any advice or experiences you can share. We could potentially travel elsewhere in Europe if the tests are much, much cheaper.

Thank you in advance!

[fiveboys]

I had mine done through babybond but that was also £400 and got the results back at 11 weeks pregnant..i shopped around but didnt find any that was cheaper x

[meoab]

I had it done at the 'this is my clinic' in Lo don and the cost was 320. It was the serenity test! You can find the This Is My clinics all over UK. Good luck :).

[naturediva]

Thanks so much to you both, I really appreciate it! I was hoping to find something for £150-200, just blood test without the scans or something, but it may simply not exist here. I'll keep exploring and cross my fingers. The 20-week scan technician wasn't very confident in saying whether my first baby was a boy or a girl (he was a boy, hence the pink sway!), so I'd really love a more definitive answer. But in any case, I guess I'll know for sure in 9 months ;-)

If anyone else has any experience or advice, in the UK or nearby, I'd love to hear it.

[atomic sagebrush]

bump

[naturediva]

So here's another thought - I'll be in the US for 3 weeks in December/January. Does anyone know whether you can get the Harmony or other NIPT test done in the US privately, as an individual, if you don't have US insurance or a US OB-GYN? I have heard the companies charge about $200 if you don't have insurance, but don't know how to go about it if I don't have a doctor to order the tests there. My mother (who lives in California) is a retired nurse, so could in theory take my bloods if we had the kit.

I'll give some of the companies a call and see what they say, but would appreciate any insight you ladies might have.

Thanks and warm wishes to all!

[naturediva]

Anyone??

[atomic sagebrush]

I'm honestly not sure, does anyone know?

i really do wish they would let us do more testing on our own here. VEry frustrating sometimes.