Down Syndrome Test Now Free Under Public Insurance

The non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), which can detect Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, Patau syndrome, and other chromosomal pathologies in the fetus, can now be done for free under the compulsory health insurance (OMS) policy. The corresponding provision is included in the approved program of state guarantees for free medical care for 2026.

Who can take the test for free

The Ministry of Health explained that the right to free NIPT under OMS will be granted to pregnant women who, based on standard screening results, have been identified with a medium or high risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, writes TASS.

Until now, NIPT has been primarily a paid service. In recent years, some regions, including Moscow, have launched pilot programs for free testing for at-risk groups. In commercial clinics, the cost of a comprehensive NIPT can reach 50,000 rubles (approximately $556 at current rates).

Advantages of the method

NIPT is a modern diagnostic method that is conducted from the 10th week of pregnancy. For the analysis, only the mother«s venous blood is needed, making the procedure completely safe unlike invasive methods (such as amniocentesis), which are associated with a minimal risk of complications. The accuracy of the test in detecting major trisomies reaches 99.9%.

Thus, the inclusion of the non-invasive test in the OMS system will significantly expand access for Russian women to high-precision and safe prenatal diagnostics.

For Russian women, the test for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has already become free. It can now be taken as part of reproductive check-ups under the compulsory health insurance (OMS) system. For more details on who has access and how dangerous the virus is, read the separate article.