VCGS offers three levels of carrier screening:  
prepair 3, prepair 500+ and prepair 1000+. 

These tests are designed to provide slightly different information.  



prepair - test process and results

Contact our team if you have concerns about testing or your results.

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**_prepair_ 3**
 – individual carrier status results  

Our standard prepair 3 screen covers three conditions that are commonly seen in our population – cystic fibrosis (CF), fragile X syndrome (FXS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).  

Biological females are screened first – with biological male reproductive partners only being screened if the female is a carrier for CF or SMA.  

Screening will provide an individual carrier status report for these conditions.  

This test is only needed once in a lifetime. Test results for CF, FXS and SMA will not change over time. 

**Cost:**  
prepair 3 is bulk billed for Medicare eligible patients  
and $389 for non-Medicare eligible patients. 

**_prepair_ 500+ & _prepair_ 1000+**  

_In-house screening_  
As of 1 November 2023, prepair 500+ will be performed in-house at VCGS, like prepair 3 and prepair 1000+. Previous prepair 500+ screening was performed by an overseas test partner.  In house 500+ will cover 629 genes associated with 435 conditions.

_Aim of screening_  
The aim of extended screening with 500+ or 1000+ is to provide couples with information about their chance of having children with an inherited genetic condition. This is why both biological parents are screened at the same time and why results are reported on a ‘couple basis’, instead of individual carrier status. 

_Individual v couple results_  
Most of us are carriers for a number of genetic conditions. Providing individual carrier status for hundreds of genetic conditions is time consuming, expensive and provides no health benefit.  

However, it is important to find out whether a reproductive couple are carriers for the same genetic condition/s, as this may affect the health of any children they have.   

Receiving clinically useful information from extended carrier screening means screening a reproductive couple together. Screening will determine the chance a couple has of having children with an inherited genetic condition. It will not tell an individual which genetic conditions they are a carrier for.  

Results from a couple-based screen are applicable to the reproductive couple. If there’s a change in reproductive partner, a new screening test is required.  

 
**Cost:**  
prepair 500+ is $975 for Medicare eligible patients  
and $1364 for non-Medicare eligible patients.    

prepair 1000+ is $1500 for Medicare eligible patients  
and $1889 for non-Medicare eligible patients. 

prepair - test process and results

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