Testing lab introduces UK-first at-home baby gender testing service

Warrington-based testing laboratory, AlphaBiolabs, is the first in the UK to offer at-home blood sample self-collection for baby gender testing.

The new service uses the innovative TinyTAP device which AlphaBiolabs said has never been made available to UK consumers before.

It makes it possible for expectant parents to collect their own blood sample at home and return it to the laboratory for the purpose of baby gender testing, with no medical appointments required.

Unlike other laboratories that require a venous blood draw, AlphaBiolabs’ easy-to-use, pain-free TinyTAP device is simply pressed against the mother’s upper arm to collect a small blood sample.

The sample can then be returned to the company’s accredited UK laboratory to determine whether the baby is a boy or a girl from as early as six weeks into pregnancy, with 99% accuracy.

Rachel Davenport, Director at AlphaBiolabs, said: “As the UK’s most trusted DNA laboratory with over 20 years’ experience providing DNA testing services, we are proud to be the first to offer the convenience of the TinyTAP device for expectant parents looking to find out the sex of their baby.

“We are at the forefront of innovation in our industry, and the benefits of this device are numerous.

“From removing the need for time consuming medical appointments, to enabling expectant parents to collect their own sample in the privacy of their home, entirely pain-free, with zero fuss.”

When the mother is around six weeks pregnant, small amounts of the baby’s DNA begin circulating in the mother’s blood stream, meaning highly sensitive DNA testing methods can then be used to screen the mother’s blood sample for the presence of a Y chromosome.

As the Y chromosome is only present in males, its presence in the mother’s blood indicates that the baby is a boy. If no Y chromosome is detected, this indicates that the baby is a girl.