Prenatal Genetic Testing

Prenatal genetic testing can be complex and confusing. While Washington State Law (RCW 70.54.220) says that doctors, nurses, and midwives need to share information with pregnant women about prenatal testing, providers may not always have enough time to do so with their patients.

Make an Informed Decision

The prenatal genetic testing video series provides objective, accurate information about how to decide if prenatal testing is right for you and your family, what the different testing options are, and why they are offered. We hope the videos will help you understand your prenatal testing options and make it easier for you to discuss them with your healthcare provider.

For your convenience we have created a playlist of all seven videos. Click the play button to start or view the whole series on our YouTube channel. The entire series is also available in Spanish. For offline viewing, you can download each video in WMV format below.

Downloadable Videos

Right-click on the video you want to download and select "Save As..."

• How to Decide about Prenatal Genetic Testing.
  Explores your options to help you decide whether or not you want to have prenatal tests.
  • Transcript (PDF)
• What Conditions are Commonly Tested for During Pregnancy? A brief overview of the types of birth defects and chromosome conditions tested for during pregnancy.
  • Transcript (PDF)
• Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Screening (cfDNA Screening)
  Describes the pros and cons of this test (sometimes called “noninvasive prenatal screening” or “the gender test”). The video also explains what conditions this test screens for and how it works.
  • Transcript (PDF)
• Maternal Serum Screening (MSS)
  Explains which conditions this blood test can screen for and the benefits and drawbacks of the screening.
  • Transcript (PDF)
• Prenatal Ultrasound
  Discusses when and how sonograms are performed, what conditions they can look for, and the limitations of this testing practice.
  • Transcript (PDF)
• Amniocentesis
  Describes how this second trimester procedure is performed, what conditions it can test for, and the potential benefits and limitations of this test.
  • Transcript (PDF)
• Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
  Describes how this first trimester procedure is performed, what conditions it can test for, and the potential benefits and limitations of this test.
  • Transcript (PDF)