How Easy Is It To Contaminate Sneak Peek?

What is Sneak Peek?

Sneak Peek is a non-invasive prenatal test that can determine the gender of a baby as early as 8 weeks into pregnancy. The test analyzes fetal DNA in the mother’s blood and can also screen for certain chromosomal abnormalities.

How is Sneak Peek Administered?

Sneak Peek is administered at home by the mother with a kit provided by the company. The kit includes a blood collection device, instructions, and a prepaid return package to send the sample to the laboratory for analysis.

Contamination Risks

Contamination risks are a concern with any diagnostic test, including Sneak Peek. Contamination can result in inaccurate results, which can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety for the mother.

Contamination from the Mother

The most common source of contamination is the mother’s DNA. If the mother accidentally touches the blood collection device or if she doesn’t properly cleanse her hands before collecting the sample, her DNA can contaminate the sample.

Contamination from the Environment

Contamination can also occur from the environment. If the blood collection device comes into contact with any surface, such as a table or countertop, that contains DNA from another person, the sample can become contaminated.

Preventing Contamination

The best way to prevent contamination is to follow the instructions provided with the Sneak Peek kit carefully. The instructions include specific steps to ensure that the sample is collected properly and that the risk of contamination is minimized.

Wash Your Hands

Before collecting the sample, it’s important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. This will remove any DNA from your hands that could contaminate the sample.

Cleanse the Collection Site

It’s also important to cleanse the collection site with the provided alcohol wipe. This will remove any DNA from the skin that could contaminate the sample.

Avoid Touching the Collection Area

Once the collection site has been cleansed, it’s important to avoid touching the area with your fingers. This will prevent any DNA from your skin from contaminating the sample.

Be Careful with the Collection Device

When collecting the sample, it’s important to be careful with the collection device. Avoid touching the tip of the device with your fingers and be sure to follow the instructions for collecting the sample carefully.

Prevent Environmental Contamination

To prevent environmental contamination, it’s important to collect the sample on a clean, flat surface. Avoid touching the collection device to any surface before or after collecting the sample.

Conclusion

Contamination is a risk with any diagnostic test, including Sneak Peek. However, by following the instructions carefully and taking precautions to prevent contamination, the risk can be minimized. It’s important to take these steps to ensure accurate results and to minimize unnecessary stress and anxiety for the mother.