A novel examine has analyzed the cost-effectiveness of various Down syndrome (DS) screening methods. The consequence confirms that noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) outperforms second-trimester serum screening (STSS) in accuracy and cost-effectiveness, as NIPT identifies twice as many DS instances as STSS.
The examine was carried out by researchers from Changsha Hospital for Maternal & Little one Well being Care, College of Public Administration, Hunan College in China, and BGI Genomics. The paper was revealed within the journal Frontiers in Public Well being early this month.
Performed on a big scale, involving 140,472 pregnant ladies from March 2018 to December 2020, this real-world evaluation evaluates the efficiency of NIPT in comparison with conventional STSS. The researchers aimed to evaluate which screening technique would supply one of the best stability between effectiveness and value, making certain that prenatal care may be each superior and accessible.
Key to the examine was its examination of the sensitivity, specificity, and optimistic predictive worth of NIPT in detecting trisomy 21—one of many key indicators of DS. NIPT confirmed considerably larger sensitivity and specificity in comparison with STSS, and NIPT identifies twice as many DS instances as STSS, making it a much more dependable possibility.
The common NIPT screening technique, which includes providing NIPT to all pregnant ladies, was discovered to be the best in detecting DS instances, with a web profit far exceeding that of STSS. Not solely did NIPT detect extra instances, but it surely did so at a decrease incremental price, establishing it as a powerful contender for widespread implementation.
NIPT as first-tier screening technique for DS
On this examine, NIPT exhibited considerably larger sensitivity, specificity, and optimistic predictive worth in comparison with STSS for DS. NIPT additionally demonstrated decrease false optimistic and false unfavourable charges. Throughout all age teams of pregnant ladies, NIPT constantly maintained wonderful sensitivity and specificity, outperforming STSS in all detection metrics.
NIPT successfully decreased the necessity for invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures, thereby optimizing useful resource utilization and minimizing the dangers related to invasive strategies. Given its superior detection efficiency, researchers recommended that NIPT must be thought of as a first-tier screening technique for Down syndrome.
The evaluation discovered that common NIPT screening led to the detection of 163 DS instances with a cost-effectiveness ratio of RMB 1:9.53. As compared, a mixed STSS and NIPT technique detected fewer instances, albeit at the next price. The common strategy presents an accessible but extremely efficient answer for prenatal screening.
This examine proves that NIPT has superior testing efficiency in comparison with STSS, signaling a big step towards higher prenatal care. It gives clear proof that NIPT not solely enhances the accuracy of Down syndrome screening but in addition presents substantial price financial savings, making it a possible possibility for widespread adoption.
Extra data:
Jing Liu et al, Value-effectiveness of various screening methods for Down syndrome: a real-world evaluation in 140,472 ladies, Frontiers in Public Well being (2025). DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1535381
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BGI Genomics
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Noninvasive prenatal testing identifies twice as many Down syndrome instances as second-trimester serum screening (2025, Might 18)
retrieved 18 Might 2025
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