What is Expanded Carrier Screening?
Expanded screens for more than 600 inherited conditions, on your own or as a couple.
What Expanded looks for
Expanded screens for more than 600 inherited conditions. That includes cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and fragile X syndrome, plus conditions such as beta thalassaemia, alpha thalassaemia, Tay-Sachs disease and some forms of inherited hearing loss.
Men are screened for about 550, because X-linked conditions are passed on through the mother. Most carriers are healthy and have no family history of the condition they carry. Results usually take 3 to 4 weeks.
How your result works
On your own, you get your own result. For most conditions a pregnancy is only affected when both partners carry a change in the same gene, so if you carry one, your partner can be tested too. As a couple, your results come back together in one report.
An increased chance means you 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. If that’s your result, a genetic counsellor takes you through what it means for your plans, at no extra cost.
Carrier screening coverage
Tap a block to compare that group of conditions across our tests.
A clearer place to start.
Carrier screening helps you know where you stand and plan for your family with peace of mind.