Maternal serum screening is a Ministry of Health funded screen for trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 (+/- neural tube defect). It involves a blood test(s) (with nuchal translucency ultrasound where available) and measures blood markers that are produced by the placenta and fetus.

Panorama NIPT is a blood test that can be done as early as 9 weeks which measures cell free DNA (cfDNA) from the mom and the placenta.  It is Ministry of Health funded for some women (depending on provincial guidelines), but is also available as a private pay test.  The basic Panorama option screens for trisomy 21, 13, 18, monosomy X, triploidy and the sex chromosome trisomies.  Fetal sex, as well as other conditions known as microdeletions, are also available. In addition, Panorama can typically provide results earlier in the pregnancy and provide information on more conditions than maternal serum screens.