All pregnant women in BC can choose to have prenatal genetic screening. How far along you are in your pregnancy, your age, health, family history, and whether or not you are carrying more than one baby will influence which screening tests are available to you.
The British Columbia Prenatal Genetic Screening Program has an excellent website that outlines the options for prenatal genetic screening available in BC.
Some women may choose to pay privately for a screen not available in the BC public medical system. There are two options: one is called First Trimester Screening (FTS) (done between 11 weeks and just under 14 weeks) and the other is called Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) (done as early as 10 weeks.) The website above also provides some information on the advantages and disadvantages of these private screening options.
We ask pregnant patients to book a separate appointment during their first trimester to discuss all genetic screening options with their doctor as there are many things to consider. We will provide information to help you choose if you wish to screen and which tests might be best for you.