Molecular diagnostics company BillionToOne (BTO) has recently introduced BabyPeek, an addition to their UNITY Complete test, which offers insight into non-medical traits of unborn babies. BabyPeek provides expecting parents with the opportunity to discover traits such as potential eye and hair color, among others, as early as 10 weeks into pregnancy. By integrating BabyPeek into the UNITY Complete test, BTO hopes to engage more individuals in discussions about prenatal screening, highlighting its role in guiding decisions throughout pregnancy.
“We are pleased to launch BabyPeek, which provides expectant parents the earliest possible glimpse at several just-for-fun traits while educating them about the importance of prenatal screening,” said Oguzhan Atay, Ph.D., CEO of BillionToOne. “Since launch, BillionToOne has been at the forefront of molecular diagnostics, not only in creating accurate and innovative tests with UNITY but with celebrating each moment in prenatal care.”
Jennifer Hoskovec, MS, Certified Genetic Counselor and Senior Director of Medical Affairs at BillionToOne explains that while developing BabyPeek, BTO completed extensive market research, interviewing medical experts, bioethics experts, genetic experts, OB providers, and expecting parents. She shares: “While BillionToOne has had the technology behind BabyPeek for years, it was critical to us as a company that we launch this offering responsibly and with the support of the medical community. Now we can launch BabyPeek as an add-on to the UNITY Complete test with full confidence that we’re providing patients and their providers with the most rewarding experience possible.”
Patients offered UNITY prenatal genetic testing receive results within 10 days after a blood draw through BillionToOne’s web portal and then can view the baby’s gender and opt-in to learn results from BabyPeek. While the UNITY test is covered by insurance and FSA eligible, BabyPeek is not covered by or billed to insurance and costs $99 out of pocket.
UNITY Complete is a prenatal test that includes a maternal carrier screen and fetal risk assessment for recessive and chromosome conditions. UNITY Complete provides genetic information about the fetus at 10 or more weeks gestation, is non-invasive, and does not need a partner’s sample at any point in the process. It is the only commercially available NIPT in the United States that assesses fetal risk for inherited recessive conditions using cell-free DNA and follows the standard of care recommended for all pregnancies by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
