A new test – Non Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) - is a highly sensitive screening tool for certain chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome (trisomy 21) and trisomy 18, that poses no risk to a woman’s pregnancy. NIPT is a blood test done on the mother that does not hurt the developing baby and does not increase the chance of a miscarriage, unlike other types of testing such as CVS and amniocentesis. Available only to patients who meet certain eligibility criteria, NIPT is an exciting advancement in prenatal testing - but does not replace the other routine screening tests available to all women during pregnancy.