Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), the cell-free DNA-based blood test that screens for fetal chromosomal abnormalities, is fast becoming a routine part of obstetric care.
During pregnancy, maternal plasma contains fragments of DNA from the mother and from the placenta (fetal DNA).
The proportion of DNA fragments from particular chromosomes is usually very stable throughout pregnancy. If there is an excess of fetal fragments from one chromosome, the proportion of fragments from that chromosome will be changed.
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