Helping you prepare for your baby’s health
Pregnancy comes with many unknowns. With Natera’s prenatal genetic testing, you can know more about your baby’s health and better prepare for the little one’s arrival.
Prenatal genetic tests like carrier screening and NIPT work together to bring clarity to your pregnancy
You may have heard about noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Carrier screening is another important test, but it looks at something different. At Natera, we offer both Horizon™ carrier screening and Panorama™ NIPT, which can often be done together from a single blood draw. This makes testing simple and gives you and your provider valuable information to better prepare for your baby’s health.
| Horizon™ Carrier Screening | Panorama™ NIPT | |
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| Who does it screen? | Parents (looks at your DNA) | Baby (looks at baby’s placental DNA) |
| When is it done? | Before or during pregnancy | From 9 weeks in pregnancy |
| How often do I need it? | Typically done once; results help inform current and future pregnancies | Every pregnancy |
| What can it tell me? | If you and your partner could pass on inherited genetic conditions like cystic fibrosis to your baby |
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| Why is it important? |
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Learning they were carriers changed one family’s journey with spinal muscular atrophy
Annabelle’s parents only learned they were carriers of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) when she was diagnosed at 2 months old. During a later pregnancy, they learned at 20 weeks that her younger brother Jude also had SMA. Knowing sooner gave them months to plan, and Jude began treatment at 9 days old.
Common myths about carrier screening and facts every parent should know
Myth: I don’t have genetic conditions in my family, so I don’t need screening
Fact: Most carriers are healthy with no family history. In fact, 88% of carriers of three common conditions have no known family history.1
Myth: I don’t need screening because I wouldn’t do anything differently
Fact: Carrier screening is about options and preparation. For many conditions, early planning means early treatment or supportive care that can make a life-changing difference.
Myth: I don’t need to do any tests during pregnancy, I’ll just test my baby for everything after they are born
Fact: Tests after birth often screen for fewer conditions and sometimes results come too late. For example, for newborns with galactosemia, a lactose-restricted diet within the first 10 days of life can prevent life-threatening complications.2 Carrier screening can give families time to prepare before birth.
How Horizon™ carrier screening works
Take the next step and discuss Horizon™ carrier screening with your provider
Natera is committed to making prenatal genetic testing accessible for everyone
In-Network with Most Insurance Plans |
Natera is committed to affordable access to testing and is in-network with the vast majority of health insurance plans. | Check our list of in-network plans |
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Financial Assistance |
If you meet financial criteria based on household size and income, you may be eligible for a reduced cost of $149 or less per test. | See if you qualify |
Personalized Cost Estimate |
If you would like an estimate before your provider orders your test, request an estimate for Panorama™ or Horizon™.2 | Request a cost estimate |
Interest-Free Payment Plans |
Once you receive your bill, we make it easy to sign up for an interest-free payment plan of up to 12-months. | Setup payment plan |
Want to learn more about prenatal genetic testing? We’re here to help.
1Westemeyer et al. Genet Med. 2020;22(8):1320-28.
2Berry GT. Classic Galactosemia and Clinical Variant Galactosemia. 2000 Feb 4 [Updated 2021 Mar 11]. In: Adam MP, Feldman J, Mirzaa GM, et al., editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2024. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK15