MiniMi is a test that can be done from as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy to determine whether an unborn baby is a girl or boy. The test is done by taking a blood sample from the expectant mother. During pregnancy, DNA from the baby’s placenta is present in the mother’s blood. The placenta and the baby are made from the same cells at conception, so you are testing the same DNA from the baby by testing the placental DNA from the expectant mother’s blood.
How MiniMi works
Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes (46 in total) within almost every cell in our body. One set of chromosomes come from our mother, and the other from our father. The last pair of these chromosomes are the sex chromosomes. Females usually have two X chromosomes, and males have one X and one Y chromosome.
The DNA extracted from the mother’s blood is analysed, and using cutting-edge technology, we are able to detect if there is any presence of a Y chromosome. If a Y chromosome is detected, it means that the baby is a boy. If no Y chromosome is present, then it means that the baby is a girl.
Limitations of MiniMi
It is important to note MiniMi is not a diagnostic test and that there are rare instances where the sex of the baby may be inaccurately reported or may not be found at all. There are a few reasons why this could happen.
This does not mean you cannot test the sex of your baby, but rather that you need to understand the risks of potential inaccuracies.
