Research demonstrates clinical and economic benefits of implementing NIPT into NHS care pathway

The UK National Screening Committee, based on a research programme led by BRC-funded Professor Lynn Chitty, has recommended to the Government that NIPT for Down’s Syndrome be implemented into the NHS maternity care pathway and is currently awaiting ministerial decision.A prospective cohort study, led by BRC-funded Professor Lyn Chitty, was carried out at eight maternity units across the UK, to investigate the costs and benefits of implementing non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for Down’s Syndrome into the NHS maternity care pathway.

Findings showed that implementation of the test for individuals with a risk greater than 1/150 significantly decreased the false positive rate with a subsequent significant decrease in invasive tests needed and procedure-related miscarriages. There was no significant effect on costs and an increase in the number of Down’s Syndrome cases detected. Furthermore, some women used NIPT for information only; therefore implementation of NIPT may not significantly affect the Down’s Syndrome live birth rate.

These findings have also been published in the BMJ.