Washington University’s Clinical Genomics Laboratory offers a variety of prenatal testing including chromosome analysis, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH).

Indications for testing include, but are not limited to: advanced maternal age; a previous child or pregnancy with a chromosomal abnormality; family history of a sporadic or inherited chromosomal abnormality; known carrier status of sex-linked diseases; abnormal findings by ultrasound (eg: IUGR, malformations); olygohydramnios or polyhydramnios; low or high maternal serum alpha fetoprotein and abnormal results with other prenatal tests.

Chromosome analysis and CMA is also available for products of conception testing.



Chromosome Analysis
SummaryDetects aneuploidy, rearrangements, deletions, inversions
Specimen typesAmniotic fluid (AF), chorionic villi sampling (CVS), percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS), products of conception (POC)
Turnaround timesDepends on specimen type. 
AF, CVS, PUBS: 14 days
POC: 21-30 days
Chromosomal Microarray Analysis (CMA)
SummaryAffymetrix CytoScan HD assay with genomic DNA extraction to detect small gains and losses across the entire genome
Specimen typesAmniotic fluid (AF), chorionic villi sampling (CVS), percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS), products of conception (POC)
Turnaround times21-28 days
Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization (FISH)
SummaryAneuploidy and microdeletion testing
Specimen typesAmniotic fluid (AF), chorionic villi sampling (CVS), percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS), products of conception (POC)
Specific Tests OfferedAneuscreen (13/21, 18/X/Y)
Angelman (D15S10)
Cri du Chat (EGR1)
DiGeorge/VCF (TUPLE1)
Miller-Dieker (LIS1)
Prader-Willi (SNRPN)
Smith-Magenis (SMS)
SRY gene (SRY)
Steroid Sulfatase Deficiency (STS)
Williams (ELN)
Wolf-Hirschhorn (WHS)
1p36 deletion (p58)
Turnaround timesDepends on test.
Aneuscreen: 3-5 days; STAT available in 24-48 hours
Microdeletion testing: 10-21 days