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Please read and follow the following instructions carefully to ensure the validity of your sample or result.

HomeDNADirect recommends that the mother is at least 7 weeks from conception (around the 9th week of pregnancy, starting from the first day of your last menstrual period). If you are unsure, you can check your due date by using this pregnancy calculator! However, we do strongly recommend checking with your doctor to confirm the dates related to your pregnancy.

Note: The father’s sample (cheek cells) can be collected at home by the test participants themselves, but the mother’s blood sample needs to be collected by a trained professional such as a doctor, nurse or phlebotomist. It is not the company’s responsibility to set an appointment with a collector. Please confirm the availability of a collector and set an appointment for blood collection before ordering this test.

For clients based in the Ontario area ONLY, we can assist with booking the sample collection at an additional cost of $85. Contact us to set up an appointment AFTER the test has been purchased.

Precautions

  • Contact the courier before your appointment to make sure you can arrange a convenient collection time for pick-up of the samples. The samples should be dispatched on the same day as the blood sample is collected.
  • We also recommend that the blood sample collection be done as early as possible during the day.
  • Remember to use only the courier pouch provided to send your samples. Do not use any other blood collection tubes other than the ones provided in our kit.
  • Ensure that the correct amount of blood is supplied.
  • The father’s samples can be collected at home following the instructions provided in our kit.
  • Ensure that the sample submission form is completed and remember to fill in all necessary information.

Contents of the Sampling Kit

– 1x box containing:

  • 1x consent form
  • 1x sample collection instructions
  • 1x courier collection instructions
  • 1x terms & conditions
  • 1x swab envelope
  • 2x 2 swabs
  • 2x absorbent pad
  • 2x 10 ml blood collection tube
  • 1x foam insert
  • 1x biohazard bag
  • 1x security seal
  • 1x return courier pouch

Procedure for Blood Sample Collection (mother)

  • Schedule an appointment with a person qualified to take the blood sample (more than 7 ml). Remember to take your sample collection kit with you to your appointment.
  • Drink plenty of water just before the blood sample collection.
  • Use the 2x 10 ml blood collection tubes intended for the mother’s sample and make sure that the tubes are correctly labelled with the information requested.
  • Fill out the consent forms carefully.
  • Once the doctor or nurse has collected the blood sample in the relevant tubes and labelled them carefully, it is recommended that the tubes are rotated by hand to ensure that the blood, anticoagulant and stabilizer are thoroughly mixed. The tubes must be placed back into the foam insert provided.

The father’s samples (cheek cells) are collected via 4 mouth swabs. Visit our sample collection page for more information on how to collect a swab sample.

Sending your samples back

  • First, place the foam insert including the tubes and absorbent pads into the biohazard bag.
  • Next, insert the biohazard bag into the white box provided.
  • Include the envelope containing the father’s swabs and consent form, but do not place them inside the biohazard bag with the samples.
  • Insert the white box into the courier pouch provided. Take note of the tracking number and seal the pack. Ensure that the samples are kept at room temperature as excess heat can affect their validity.
  • Please ensure that you close and seal the courier pouch correctly. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the samples in transit and the need to re-sample.
  • Call up the courier for collection and dispatch of your samples. Make sure to mention that you have a prepaid courier pouch.
  • Once samples have been sent, contact us to confirm that you have sent the samples. Always remember to quote case reference code.

Please organise to have the samples collected on the same day of collection and within a short period of time as the samples need to return to the laboratory within 4 days.

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