Gender via blood test or wait til 20 wk u/s?

[orangedaisy]

My doctor has offered me the blood test that tests for other things for baby, but would also tell us the gender after 10 weeks. So... do that, or do the usual reveal at the 20 week ultrasound?

(Not sure why she offered me the test since from my Googling it's for those 35 and over usually, and I'm only 29.)

 

[RebeccaR19]

I don't really know what that test is, but personally, I'd just wait until the 20 week ultrasound. I don't know how you can know gender for sure through a blood test.

 

[orangedaisy]

I don't really know what that test is, but personally, I'd just wait until the 20 week ultrasound. I don't know how you can know gender for sure through a blood test.

Doc said it's only got a 1% chance of being wrong. I guess it's meant to test for things that are normally a concern if you're over 35, but it also does gender.

 

[RebeccaR19]

Hmm...it is interesting! Maybe it would be interesting to do it and then see on the 20 week ultrasound what the gender is for sure. I know I personally would probably still have doubt until I saw the gender. lol

 

[knobby]

Does the test cost a lot? Will insurance cover it?

If it is cheap or your insurance will cover it, I would do it! I'm such an impatient person. I wouldn't spend a ton of money on it though.

 

[orangedaisy]

Does the test cost a lot? Will insurance cover it?

If it is cheap or your insurances will cover it, I would do it! I'm such an impatient person. I wouldn't spend a ton of money on it though.

With my insurance it's only $25. Think we might do it, and then confirm with the ultrasound.

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I don't really know what that test is, but personally, I'd just wait until the 20 week ultrasound. I don't know how you can know gender for sure through a blood test.

It's probably the Maternit21 test, which does list the gender.

I know I am going to do it with the next pregnancy. It's only around $200 out of pocket if Tricare doesn't cover it (from what my research has found). Finding out early isn't the reason why I want it, but it is an added bonus! I say go for it if you can get your insurance to pay for it.

 

[knobby]

Does the test cost a lot? Will insurance cover it?

If it is cheap or your insurances will cover it, I would do it! I'm such an impatient person. I wouldn't spend a ton of money on it though.

With my insurance it's only $25. Think we might do it, and then confirm with the ultrasound.

It's a no-brainer then!

 

[TexasCharlee]

I don't really know what that test is, but personally, I'd just wait until the 20 week ultrasound. I don't know how you can know gender for sure through a blood test.

I've been researching it lately... my friend did it about 7 months ago when she was 10 weeks pregnant. The test said girl, and she had a girl!

With advancements in laboratory testing they are now able to pull fetal cells from the mother's blood sample.

I think they are offering it to younger women now because the test is so non-invasive, just a simple blood draw... before DNA tests to check genetics or gender were invasive with risks, so they only advised women over 35 to do it.

 

[RebeccaR19]

I don't really know what that test is, but personally, I'd just wait until the 20 week ultrasound. I don't know how you can know gender for sure through a blood test.

It's probably the Maternit21 test, which does list the gender.

I know I am going to do it with the next pregnancy. It's only around $200 out of pocket if Tricare doesn't cover it (from what my research has found). Finding out early isn't the reason why I want it, but it is an added bonus! I say go for it if you can get your insurance to pay for it.

Is there any way to know if Tricare would cover it? Or does the doctor just have to recommend it first?

 

[LoveInshallah]

Lol!!! The blood test picks up your baby's DNA, it doesn't get much more accurate than that. I'm pretty sure that wasn't my Y chromosome floating around in there...

We found out early through the test and I was glad we had it done. At that phase, I didn't really "feel" pregnant yet, and being able to connect with our "boy" made it more real and concrete to me. I have hyperemesis and it's been a difficult couple of months, but the day of that phone call with the results was one of the best days for me.

 

[babylove x]

I would do the blood draw

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I don't really know what that test is, but personally, I'd just wait until the 20 week ultrasound. I don't know how you can know gender for sure through a blood test.

It's probably the Maternit21 test, which does list the gender.

I know I am going to do it with the next pregnancy. It's only around $200 out of pocket if Tricare doesn't cover it (from what my research has found). Finding out early isn't the reason why I want it, but it is an added bonus! I say go for it if you can get your insurance to pay for it.

Is there any way to know if Tricare would cover it? Or does the doctor just have to recommend it first?

For Tricare to pay for anything maternity related, it has to be deemed medically necessary (you can't get an ultrasound to just find out the gender, etc). So whoever is managing your pregnancy would have to recommend it. I think a lot of them are switching over to the test since as someone else pointed out, it's less invasive and I don't believe there is a chance of it causing a miscarriage.

You can always ask your medical provider if they would put it through as necessary. Even if they don't, it's only $200 or so out of pocket according to what several ladies have posted in the last few years (verify first, though!). You can Google "Maternit21 Tricare coverage" if you want to do the research as well!

Edit: I should add I only know about Prime, I don't know if anything is different under Standard/etc.

 

[Scout]

I had the MaterniT21 when I was pregnant with dd. It's just a blood test so no risk of mc. They extract the fetal dna from the mom's blood. Then they can look at the chromosomes to see if they're typical or not, and they look for the presence of a Y chromosome for gender. Pretty simple w no risks. I'd do it again. GL

 

[Cattia]

If you want to know the gender for sure, I would do the test. It's more accurate than the 20 week scan. For example with my DD she was in the wrong position at the scan so they couldn't tell us and I know that happens quite a lot.

 

[misspriss]

I'm just TTC, but I've thought a lot about this. I stayed team yellow with DS, and planned to stay team yellow with any future babies..but part of the reason was the possibility of them being wrong. For some reason I kind of want to find out this way...even for $200 that's about the price of a private 3d/4d scan around here...I'm sure my MIL would pay even more than that to find out early (it killed her we stayed team yellow with DS)!

 

[RebeccaR19]

Kitteh_Kat- Thanks for the information. I actually have Tricare Prime. I will ask my provider about it at my 12 week visit.

 

[knobby]

I had the MaterniT21 when I was pregnant with dd. It's just a blood test so no risk of mc. They extract the fetal dna from the mom's blood. Then they can look at the chromosomes to see if they're typical or not, and they look for the presence of a Y chromosome for gender. Pretty simple w no risks. I'd do it again. GL

Is this a test that is normally offered? Or do you have to have a medical reason to get it?

 

[misspriss]

Well, out of curiosity I looked up my insurances coverage, it looks like I wouldn't be covered. Here is there criteria:

DNA-based noninvasive prenatal tests of fetal aneuploidy are proven and medically necessary as screening tools for trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) or trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) in ANY ONE of the following circumstances:

• Maternal age of 35 years or older at delivery
• Fetal ultrasound findings indicating an increased risk of aneuploidy
• History of a prior pregnancy with a trisomy
• Positive first- or second-trimester screening test results for aneuploidy
• Parental balanced Robertsonian translocation with an increased risk of fetal trisomy 13 or trisomy 21.

DNA-based noninvasive prenatal tests of fetal aneuploidy are unproven and not medically necessary for pregnant women who do not meet the above criteria or women with multiple gestations.

I have unitedhealthcare, and that document was from 4/2014 so probably accurate. Details.

 

[calm81]

My doctor has offered me the blood test that tests for other things for baby, but would also tell us the gender after 10 weeks. So... do that, or do the usual reveal at the 20 week ultrasound?

(Not sure why she offered me the test since from my Googling it's for those 35 and over usually, and I'm only 29.)

I'm not over 35 and I was tested for it 3 days ago. Mine was called the panorama test. Insurance pays for the whole thing so why not? Then when you get your 20 week scan it will confirm it with a live image!!

It will test for down syndrome better than the ultrasound (I believe so, I could be wrong), so I say go for it, and the bonus is you know the gender a little earlier.

My doctor told me they are testing everyone instead of just over 35 or high risk pregnancies. Just remember, this test is more about making sure the baby is healthy and not just a gender reveal. Good luck.