What is the term for the fraction of DNA from the placenta found in the mother's blood?

What is the term for the fraction of DNA from the placenta found in the mother's blood?

• A. Fetal fraction
• B. Maternal fraction
• C. Placental DNA fraction
• D. Noninvasive fraction

Answer: (A)

In noninvasive prenatal testing, the term for the portion of cell-free DNA in the mother’s blood that comes from the fetus (which is largely placental DNA) is the fetal fraction. This represents how much of the total cfDNA sequencing data is fetal/placental in origin. The test’s ability to reliably detect chromosomal abnormalities depends on having a sufficient fetal fraction; too little fetal DNA can lead to inconclusive or failed results. Fetal fraction typically ranges from a few percent up to around 20% and can be influenced by gestational age, maternal BMI, and other factors. The other options don’t reflect the standard term used to describe this proportion.

In noninvasive prenatal testing, the term for the portion of cell-free DNA in the mother’s blood that comes from the fetus (which is largely placental DNA) is the fetal fraction. This represents how much of the total cfDNA sequencing data is fetal/placental in origin. The test’s ability to reliably detect chromosomal abnormalities depends on having a sufficient fetal fraction; too little fetal DNA can lead to inconclusive or failed results. Fetal fraction typically ranges from a few percent up to around 20% and can be influenced by gestational age, maternal BMI, and other factors. The other options don’t reflect the standard term used to describe this proportion.