Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) Requisitions
OHIP-Funded NIPT
All twin pregnancies are now eligible for OHIP-funded NIPT
- Dynacare: The MOH Checklist has been updated to reflect this change.
- LifeLabs: The MOH Checklist (page 2 of the requisition) is in the process of being updated to reflect the change in OHIP-funding criteria for twin pregnancies. Until the update is completed, we encourage you to write out "twin pregnancy" under "Indication Category 1" to order OHIP-funded NIPT for your patient.
Provincial NIPT Labs at a Glance
Factors to consider when choosing between the two provincial NIPT labs:
| Singletons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 - Twin pregnancies generally cannot be screened for sex chromosome aneuploidies. However, PanoramaTM can screen for sex chromosome aneuploidies in monozygotic twin pregnancies only. 2 - "Vanishing" twin pregnancy is a pregnancy that started as a twin pregnancy with subsequent loss of fetal heart activity or loss of the embryo in one of the pregnancy sacs. |
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| Multiple Gestation (twins or more) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For most twin pregnancies, NIPT can be ordered through either LifeLabs or Dynacare. There are two types of IVF twin pregnancies that can only have NIPT through Dynacare: donor egg was used or a surrogate is involved.
1 - Chorionicity, rather than zygosity, has an impact on the outcome of twin pregnancies. Zygosity testing can complement, but not replace, ultrasound evaluation of chorionicity in some clinical scenarios. For example, evaluating zygosity through NIPT may impact pregnancy surveillance when chronicity assignment is uncertain, and can help interpret “high risk” aneuploidy results. |
Private-Pay NIPT
If none of the MOH criteria for OHIP-funded NIPT are met, a pregnant individual may choose to pay for private-pay NIPT, meaning that they can pay for this testing themselves or may get it covered through private health insurance.
Private-pay NIPT can be ordered through LifeLabs and Dynacare, as well as other commercial laboratories. Please note that different requisitions are needed for private-pay NIPT than for OHIP-funded NIPT, and these requisitions can be found on the labs' websites.
Prenatal Screening Ontario is unable to endorse any specific private-pay test or laboratory. On our website, we encourage you to read further about what factors you and the pregnant individual in your care may choose to consider when making decisions about private-pay tests.
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