Population Screening Act: NIPT for multiple pregnancies

Since a few years, pregnant women can opt for the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) as part of two ongoing studies on the introduction of the NIPT into prenatal screening for the detection of trisomies 21 (Down), 13 (Patau) and 18 (Edwards). On behalf of the NIPT consortium, Amsterdam UMC - location VU University Medical Center, has applied for a permit to offer the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) to women with multiple pregnancies. The Health Council’s Committee on Population Screening advises the State Secretary for Health Welfare and Sport to grant the permit subject to the conditions that NIPT will be offered as an initial screening test, test characteristics of the NIPT including test failure will be monitored and participants must be adequately informed regarding the benefits, drawbacks, and uncertainties in relation to the NIPT.