Prenatal screening program

For Providers:

Only patients who participate in the California Prenatal Screening (PNS) Program will have access to free follow-up genetic counseling and diagnostic services at a state-contracted Prenatal Diagnosis Centers for a pregnancy determined to be high-risk.

The California Prenatal Screening (PNS) Program offers low program fees that are reimbursed by Medi-Cal and most California health insurance plans, with no cost sharing (copayment, coinsurance, or deductible).

The California Prenatal Screening (PNS) Program has not and does not prevent or limit providers from ordering screening tests not provided through PNS Program, including screenings for sex chromosome abnormalities and other genetic conditions.

California Prenatal Screening Program

Effective immediately, we are updating our process for mailing non-urgent paper test results due to an unforeseen conflict/contract termination with our print vendor. There will be delays in the mailing of hard copies of results for both Newborn and Prenatal Screening Programs. Communication of all positive and urgent cases to providers is unaffected by this issue, and continues to take place through the area service centers (ASCs) or case coordinator centers (CCCs). Here’s what you need to know:

Newborn Screening Results:

Hospitals and facilities can elect to receive newborn screening results electronically by establishing a dedicated email address to receive the NBS results. To participate, please email nbs@cdph.ca.gov to receive an application and instruction guide.

Prenatal Screening Results:

Manual/Two-Page Requisition Form Orders: Paper result mailers will continue to be sent for Prenatal Screening orders placed using manual or two-page requisition forms.
CalGenetic Portal Orders: For providers who placed orders through the CalGenetic Portal, results will be available electronically as soon as they are ready. However, paper results will not be mailed for the foreseeable future.

Thank you for your understanding during this time. If you have any questions, please reach out to our support team.

The California Prenatal Screening Program is a statewide program offered by prenatal care providers to all pregnant individuals in California. Prenatal screening uses a pregnant individual's blood samples to screen for certain birth defects in their fetus (developing baby).

Positive pregnancy test

Individuals with a fetus found to have an increased chance of one of those birth defects are offered genetic counseling and other follow-up services through state-contracted Prenatal Diagnosis Centers.

Medi-Cal or private health insurance must cover the program fees with only a few exceptions for self-insured employers and out-of-state health plans. There is no co-payment, co-insurance, deductible, or any other form of cost sharing, required of covered families.

Prenatal screening is your choice. Those who choose to participate can get one or two blood samples collected for two types of prenatal screening. Both screenings are recommended since they screen for different genetic conditions or birth defects. These two screenings are offered:

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening; and
Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening.

Genetic conditions and birth defects screened for are these:

Down syndrome (trisomy 21)
Trisomy 18
Trisomy 13
Neural tube defects, like spina bifida

Starting April 1, 2024, the CA PNS Program has added sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) – also referred to as X and Y chromosome variations – to the state cell-free DNA screening panel. Since April 1, 2024, the California Prenatal Screening Program also screens for the following genetic conditions:

Turner syndrome
Klinefelter syndrome (XXY)
Trisomy X
XYY

Videos

Find out more about prenatal screening from our videos in English, Spanish, and Chinese below!

English Video	Spanish Video	Chinese Video

Title: California Prenatal Screening Program and Luisa’s Decision Language: English Published: 8/11/2022 Duration: 3:29	Title: Programa de Detección Prenatal de California: La decisión de Luisa Language: Spanish Published: 8/29/2022 Duration: 4:14	Title: 加州产前筛查计划及路易莎的决定 Language: Simplified Chinese Published: 9/20/2022 Duration: 3:59

English Video

Spanish Video

Chinese Video

Title: California Prenatal Screening Program and Luisa’s Decision

Language: English

Published: 8/11/2022

Duration: 3:29

Title: Programa de Detección Prenatal de California: La decisión de Luisa

Language: Spanish

Published: 8/29/2022

Duration: 4:14

Title: 加州产前筛查计划及路易莎的决定

Language: Simplified Chinese

Published: 9/20/2022

Duration: 3:59

Program Profile

About Us

Our Goal

We make prenatal screening available to all pregnant individuals in California through prenatal care providers at no or low cost to patients.

Our Work

We coordinate prenatal screening and access to follow-up, diagnostic services throughout the state; support and guide prenatal care providers; create and distribute supplies and educational materials; and contract with and provide quality control for labs used for screening.

Service Delivery

Prenatal screening uses a pregnant individual's blood samples to identify the chances of a fetus having one of several birth defects. If prenatal screening finds an increased chance of a birth defect in a fetus, genetic counseling and other follow-up services are available for the pregnant individual. Follow-up services include ultrasound exam and the diagnostic tests amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. Diagnostics tests give a clearer answer about birth defects.

We Serve

California's prenatal care providers are required to offer the Prenatal Screening Program to all pregnant individuals in California. Three out of four pregnant individuals choose prenatal screening offered through the state program. Many expecting parents want to know as much as they can about their fetus during pregnancy.

Funding

The Prenatal Screening Program is supported by program fees. Beginning in September 2022, the fees for screening are $232 for cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening and $85 for maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening. The cfDNA screening fee will increase to $344 on July 1, 2024.

Medi-Cal and private insurance must cover all program fees, with only a few exceptions. The exceptions are self-insured employers and out-of-state health plans.

Communications and Education

For Individuals and Families

For Prenatal Care Providers

Program Services

California provides the most comprehensive statewide prenatal screening program in the United States. Over 340,000 pregnant individuals participate in the state program offered by prenatal care providers every year.

Prenatal screening for certain birth defects through the state program is available to all pregnant individuals in Californians at no or low cost to program participants, but it is not required.

Prenatal care providers must provide information on prenatal screening through the state program to pregnant individuals. Those individuals who choose to participate in the California Prenatal Screening Program provide one or two blood samples through their prenatal care provider for two types of screening (as of September 2022). Both screenings are recommended since they screen for different birth defects.

Screening offered

First trimester: cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening (recommended from 10 weeks through first day of 21 weeks of pregnancy)
Second trimester: Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening (from 15 weeks through first day of 21 weeks of pregnancy)

Birth defects screened for by the California Prenatal Screening Program:

Genetic Conditions

Down syndrome (trisomy 21)
Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)
Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)

Turner syndrome
Klinefelter syndrome (XXY)
Trisomy X
XYY

Birth Defects

Neural tube defects, like spina bifida and anencephaly.

For identified, high-risk individuals, the California Prenatal Screening Program offers genetic counseling, ultrasound exams, diagnostic testing at state-approved Prenatal Diagnosis Centers, at no additional charge. Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling are diagnostics tests that give a clearer answer about birth defects.

Services are provided by doctors, nurses, midwives, and other prenatal care providers working in hospitals, offices, clinics, and homes.