DetSex is a test carried out on the mother’s blood that can determine the sex of the baby from as early as the eighth week of pregnancy.
Clinical significance
It is known that during pregnancy, especially as the weeks go by, the baby’s DNA is present in the mother’s blood. Using a small blood sample and the real-time PCR technique, we identify a fragment of DNA from the Y chromosome, which can only be detected if the baby is male.
If this fragment is not found, the baby is very probably female.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that the test is very accurate.
Although DetSex can be done from the sixth week of pregnancy, the reliability of the technique increases considerably from the eighth week.
As early as the sixth week of pregnancy, the result of the test matches the sex seen at birth in 92% of cases. From the seventh or eighth week, this figure is above 98%.
The test is quick, simple and safe and plays a key role not only in satisfying parents’ curiosity but, above all, as an important tool for the early, non-invasive diagnosis of conditions linked to the sex chromosomes (haemophilia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, etc.).
Clinical indications
DetSex reveals the baby’s sex using a method that is safe for the mother, as it is a non-invasive and reliable technique, as confirmed by published scientific studies.
DetSex makes it easier to share this important information without waiting for the results of the first ultrasound scans, such as the 20-week scan, reducing the risk of error and providing a safe tool that also helps build trust between the specialist and the mother-to-be.
Sample type
Take 3 ml of the mother’s peripheral blood in a tube with anticoagulant
Preparation
the blood sample must be kept at a temperature of 2-4°C.