How does the Birch Early Gender Test™ work?
At JunoDx(™), we’re working towards making reproductive genetic testing available to all expecting parents. Our goal is to use our clinical expertise and science-backed research to make high-quality reproductive genetic testing accessible for everyone.
Enter: The Birch™ Fetal Gender Test.
What’s the Birch™ Fetal Gender Test?
The Birch Early Gender Test is a safe, affordable, and reliable way to learn the sex of your baby from the comfort of your own home. With a simple prick of the finger and a bit of blood, we can examine placental DNA to determine whether you’re expecting a boy or a girl.
And the best part? You can take the test as early as 7 weeks into your pregnancy!
With our Birch™ Fetal Gender Test, finding out the sex of your baby is simple:
Step 1: Order your kit.
We’ll send you a package with everything you’ll need for the test — instructions, tools for collecting your blood sample, and packaging to mail it back to the JunoDx lab.
Step 2: Take the test.
Simply prick your finger and collect a few drops of blood in the tube. If you need help at any point, feel free to reach out to our team!
Step 3: Send in your sample.
Use the prepaid shipping label to send your sample back to our lab.
Step 4: Get your results!
Within a couple of days, we’ll email you with the exciting news!
You can ensure high-quality results by paying close attention to our step-by-step instructions when collecting your sample.
Is the Birch™ Fetal Gender Test the same as a test I’d receive at my doctor’s office?
Not exactly. Our at-home test looks for the presence (or absence) of Y chromosome pieces within the maternal blood. Since most women have two X chromosomes and most men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, if we find Y chromosome material in your sample, we’ll know you’re expecting a boy.
Some doctors’ offices use a blood test called non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) or non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) to examine a pregnancy for chromosomal variations and predict fetal sex. Our fetal sex test is designed to detect Y chromosome material in your blood for the purpose of predicting your baby’s sex, not screening for chromosomal variations.
The at-home Birch™ Fetal Gender Test is a great option for expecting parents who:
- Don’t have easy access to NIPS through their healthcare provider
- Aren’t necessarily interested in screening for chromosomal variations
- Don’t want to wait until a mid-pregnancy ultrasound to find out their baby’s sex (and start planning their gender reveal!)
Is the Birch™ Fetal Gender Test Reliable?
Yes, our early gender test has been proven to be very reliable. You can ensure high-quality results by paying close attention to our step-by-step instructions when collecting your sample.
There are a couple of things you should keep in mind when taking our test.
- Male DNA can contaminate your sample. If a male partner, friend, or family member touches your test kit, or if you don’t thoroughly wash your hands before testing, remnant DNA from a male’s Y chromosome could lead to falsely describing a female fetus as a male. Following our step-by-step instructions to collect your sample is critical to reduce the risks of cross-contamination with male DNA, and ensure high-quality results.
- Other factors, such as a high body mass index (BMI), may result in a lower overall proportion of placental DNA in your blood, making it harder to get accurate results.
Ready to learn more? Check out our Birch™ Fetal Gender Test product page, and sign up for our newsletter below to be the first to know about new product releases from JunoDx™.