Discordant sex between fetal screening and postnatal phenotype requires evaluation

Abstract

Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) utilizes circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) to screen for fetal genetic abnormalities. NIPS is the first widely-available prenatal screen to assess genotypic sex. Most pediatricians have limited familiarity with NIPS technology and potential etiologies of discordant results. Increased familiarity may provide diagnostic insight and improve clinical care. We reviewed all patients with discordant genotypic fetal sex assessed by cfDNA and neonatal phenotypic sex referred to our medical center. Four infants with discordant cfDNA result and phenotypic sex were identified. Etiologies include vanishing twin syndrome, difference of sexual development, sex chromosome aneuploidy and maternal chimerism. We present four cases illustrating potential etiologies of discordant cfDNA result and postnatal phenotypic sex. Unanticipated cfDNA results offer the perinatologist a unique opportunity for early diagnosis and targeted treatment of various conditions, many of which may not have otherwise been detected in the perinatal period.