Carrier screening FAQs
Common questions about carrier screening in Australia: what it checks, what it costs with and without Medicare, how the cheek swab works and what your results mean.
Last reviewed October 2026.
About carrier screening
What is carrier screening?
Carrier screening is a genetic test that shows whether you carry a gene change that could be passed on to your child. Most carriers are healthy and have no family history of the condition.
If you and your partner carry a change in the same gene, your child has a higher chance of having that condition. Some conditions, such as fragile X syndrome, are passed on through the X chromosome, so only the mother needs to be a carrier.
Who should consider carrier screening?
Anyone planning a pregnancy or in early pregnancy. RANZCOG, the college for obstetricians and gynaecologists in Australia and New Zealand, recommends offering carrier screening to all women and couples planning a pregnancy or in early pregnancy, whatever their family history or ancestry.¹
Nobody in my family has a genetic condition. Is screening still useful?
Yes. Carriers are usually healthy, so most people who carry a gene change have no family history of it.
Can men have carrier screening?
Yes. Expanded Single screens men for about 550 conditions. That's fewer than for women because conditions on the X chromosome are passed on through the mother, so they're reported for women only.
Standard is for one female. If she carries cystic fibrosis or SMA, her partner may be eligible for Medicare-funded testing too.
How is carrier screening different from NIPT?
Carrier screening checks whether you or your partner carry a gene change you could pass on, and you can do it before or during pregnancy. NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) is a blood test during pregnancy that looks for chromosomal changes in the pregnancy.
Both are screening tests, not a diagnosis. If either shows an increased chance, your doctor may suggest further testing.
Our tests
Which carrier screening test should I choose?
Standard covers the three conditions Medicare funds: cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and fragile X syndrome. Expanded Single screens one person for more than 600 conditions. Expanded Couple screens you both, with one couple report.
What does Standard carrier screening look for?
Three genes linked to three conditions: cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and fragile X syndrome. It's for one female, takes one cheek swab, and our results usually take about 3 weeks, an industry-leading turnaround.†
What does Expanded carrier screening look for?
More than 600 inherited conditions. That includes the three in Standard, plus others such as beta thalassaemia, alpha thalassaemia and Tay-Sachs disease. Men are screened for about 550. Results usually take 3 to 4 weeks.
What is a couple report?
With Expanded Couple, you each do a cheek swab and your results come back together in one report. It shows whether you both carry a change in the same gene, which is the result that matters for a pregnancy. At $1,350 it also costs less than two Expanded Single tests ($1,398).
Can egg or sperm donors and recipients use Elucia?
Yes. Expanded Single suits egg and sperm donors, recipients, and anyone screening on their own.
Price and Medicare
How much does carrier screening cost?
Standard may be $0* if you're eligible for Medicare, or $360 without. Expanded Single is $699. Expanded Couple is $1,350, or $675 each. Every test includes a telehealth GP consult.
Does Medicare cover carrier screening?
Only Standard. Medicare covers Standard carrier screening once in your lifetime if you're eligible (item 73451). Expanded screening isn't covered by Medicare or private health insurance.
Who is eligible for Medicare-funded carrier screening?
You may be eligible if you're planning a pregnancy or already pregnant. The reproductive partner of someone found to carry cystic fibrosis or SMA can be eligible too. It's available once in your lifetime, and we check eligibility before your test goes ahead.
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
No. You order online, and our telehealth GP checks the test suits you before your kit is sent.
The process
How does Elucia carrier screening work?
There are four steps. Order online, and our telehealth GP checks the test suits you. Do a quick cheek swab at home when your kit arrives. Post it back in the reply-paid envelope. Then read your report in your secure portal and talk it through with your telehealth GP.
How do I take the sample?
With a quick cheek swab at home. No needles, no blood test and no clinic visit.
How long do results take?
Our Standard results usually take about 3 weeks, an industry-leading turnaround.† Expanded usually takes 3 to 4 weeks. Both are counted from when the lab receives your swab.
When is the best time to do carrier screening?
Before you start trying, if you can, as it gives you the most time to plan. You can still screen during pregnancy, ideally before 12 weeks. If you're close to 12 weeks, it's worth testing your partner at the same time, especially with Expanded.
Results and support
What will my results show?
Whether you carry a change in any of the genes on your panel. Your report lists every gene it covered. If you're not a carrier, your chance of having a child with those conditions is much lower.
What happens if my result shows an increased chance?
You get free genetic counselling. A genetic counsellor talks you through the condition and what it means for your plans, whether you're pregnant or still planning.
An increased chance means you and your partner both carry a change in the same gene, or the female partner carries a change on the X chromosome. It doesn't mean a pregnancy will be affected. When both partners carry cystic fibrosis or SMA, the chance is 1 in 4 for each pregnancy.²
How accurate is carrier screening?
No carrier screen covers every gene or every possible gene change. A clear result means a much lower chance of having a child with those conditions, not zero chance. Your report shows exactly which genes were checked. If you have a family history of a condition, tell your telehealth GP.
Is genetic counselling included?
Yes, when you need it. If you and your partner are found to be a carrier couple, genetic counselling is free with any of our tests.
Do I need to repeat carrier screening?
Usually not. Your carrier status doesn't change over your life, so a clear result generally doesn't need follow-up testing. If you had Standard, you can still choose Expanded later to screen for more conditions.
Does my partner need to be tested?
It depends on the test. With Standard, the female partner is tested first. If she isn't a carrier, your chance as a couple is much lower. If she carries cystic fibrosis or SMA, her partner is tested next and may be eligible for Medicare-funded testing.
With Expanded, screening together as a couple is a good idea, especially if you're already pregnant. Expanded Couple tests you both at once.
What do my results mean for my family?
If you carry a gene change, your brothers, sisters and other blood relatives could carry it too. Your telehealth GP can help you work out who might want to know.
Privacy and insurance
Are my results and data private?
Yes. Your results are held securely, used only to run your test and report, and never shared with anyone else without your consent. You can ask for your sample to be destroyed once testing is complete, where the law allows.
Will carrier screening affect my insurance?
It won't affect your private health insurance. In Australia, health insurers can't use a genetic result to change your premium or refuse cover.³ Life insurance is different and the rules are changing, so check the current rules before you apply.
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1. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). Genetic carrier screening (C-Obs 63). Interim update July 2024.
2. Delatycki MB et al. Australian Journal of General Practice, 2019.
3. Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (Cth), community rating.
*May be $0, bulk billed for eligible patients under Medicare item 73451. Medicare covers Standard carrier screening once per lifetime, and we check eligibility before your test goes ahead.
†Standard carrier screening results usually take about 3 weeks from when the lab receives your swab. Industry-leading based on our laboratory partner’s turnaround data, October 2026.