About Lumi
We're on a mission to help couples feel more informed about their reproductive choices.
Who is Lumi Health?
The Lumi Health team has been working in genetics for over 35 years. We are medical doctors, genetic counsellors and scientists working together to provide world-leading reproductive genetic screening services to couples across Australia.
Lumi aims to make carrier screening services simple and easily accessible to help support informed reproductive planning.
The company is a collaboration between myDNA Australia (myDNA), Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (VCGS), and Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI).
About myDNA
myDNA was founded on the belief that personalised healthcare holds the key to a brighter, healthier future for all Australians. With over 15 years of dedicated service, myDNA has been a trusted partner to healthcare professionals and their patients, leveraging the power of DNA testing to make more-informed life decisions.
Our dynamic team comprises doctors, scientists, researchers and clinical geneticists who stand at the forefront of the precision health industry. We are pioneering groundbreaking technologies and innovative solutions that are reshaping the delivery of healthcare across the world.
Dedicated to excellence, we've emerged as global leaders in the field of precision health services. At myDNA, our automated laboratory capabilities and state-of-the-art infrastructure are enabling swift and secure delivery of over 1 million tests per year. Importantly, our robust security measures and stringent data encryption protocols guarantee the safety of Australians' valuable information.
myDNA strives to empower all Australians with the tools, technology, and trust required to propel precision health forward, both today and in the future.
About VCGS
VCGS is the largest specialist genetics clinical service and laboratory in Australia – providing over 170,000 genetic tests every year.
VCGS are at the forefront of making genetics and genomics accessible in Australia, empowering individuals, families and communities with knowledge to inform their lifelong health.
VCGS was the first to introduce carrier screening into Australia in 2013. Since introduction, it has run over 50,000 carrier screening tests. It was also the first laboratory in Australia to take the research from the Mackenzie's Mission research study and make it available as a routine pathology test – best servicing Australia's unique and diverse population.
With an integrated clinical team (11 Clinical Geneticists and 13 Genetic Counsellors) VCGS sets a best practice model for genetics healthcare delivery – both in person and nationally via Telehealth, incl. rural and remote Australia.
VCGS works with the community to unlock valuable health information – providing support, guidance, and cutting-edge genetic testing to empower every Australian to make informed decisions for their health.
About MCRI
Murdoch Children's Research Institute is the largest child health research institute in Australia and in the top three child health research institutes worldwide for research, quality and impact.
Their team of more than 1,600 talented researchers is dedicated to making discoveries to prevent and treat childhood conditions. Their research is driven by the healthcare access challenges experienced by Australians, enabling the swift transformation of new findings into treatments and solutions within the community.
Order a carrier screening test
Ready to take control of your family planning journey? Order a kit online now.
Not sure which test is right for you? Use our simple online tool to compare.
Frequently asked questions
Our clinical experts and genetic counselling team are here to assist you.
What is carrier screening?
Carrier screening is a type of test that checks whether you are carrying specific gene variants in your DNA that could cause genetic conditions in your children.
If both you and your partner are carriers of the same gene variant, there is an increased chance of your children inheriting the condition. However, it does not guarantee that they will inherit the condition.
Taking a carrier screening test allows women and couples to make informed reproductive choices. It can provide peace-of-mind through an understanding of your chance of having a child with a genetic condition.
What does carrier screening test for? What will I learn?
Lumi has a range of carrier screening products available, which test for a different number of genes and conditions.
Our most basic test is the Standard Carrier Screening test, which covers 3 genes and 3 of the more common inherited conditions: cystic fibrosis (CF), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and fragile X syndrome.
This test is for individual biological females and is done using a simple cheek swab. You'll learn whether you are a carrier for the 3 conditions above. If you are a carrier, your reproductive partner should also be tested so you can understand your combined chance of passing on conditions to your children.
We also offer Extended Carrier Screening and Comprehensive Carrier Screening testing options. Comprehensive screening covers more than 1,240 genes, including the 3 from Standard screening.
These tests are for couples and will include 2 swabs. You will learn about your chance as a couple of having children with any of the conditions screened for. If you change partners in the future, you may need to re-test.
What does carrier screening cost?
The cost of carrier screening varies depending on the type of screening and provider. Lumi offers bulk billed testing for Medicare-eligible customers.
The Standard Carrier Screening test costs $0.00 out of pocket for all Medicare eligible Australians. Without Medicare, the test costs $360.00.
An Extended Carrier Screening test costs $810.00 with Medicare, or $1,170.00 without Medicare. Comprehensive Carrier Screening test costs $940.00 with Medicare, or $1,300.00 without Medicare.
All our prices are in Australian Dollars ($AUD). We also provide free shipping on all orders. Prices may change during sales or other events, please refer to our shop for the most accurate pricing.
Who should do a carrier screening test?
Leading colleges for women's health practitioners in both Australia and globally recommend that “all women and couples planning pregnancy should be offered screening for genetic conditions” regardless of ethnicity or family history1.
Screening is relevant to anyone planning a pregnancy or currently pregnant. However, choosing to have carrier screening is a personal choice for you and/or your partner. Even if you've had children previously and haven't been tested yet, testing is still worthwhile.
You don't need to have a family history to be a carrier, in fact most carriers have no family history of the condition.
When should I do a carrier screening test?
Carrier screening is ideally done before you get pregnant. This gives you the most reproductive options and allows you to make the most well-informed decisions about your family planning.
However, screening can be done within the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. If you and your partner are found to be carriers of the same condition, you can choose to test your pregnancy.
How do I do the test?
Simply order a test online on our site and we will send a kit directly to you. All our tests only involve a simple cheek swab that can be done in the privacy, comfort, and safety of your own home.
The cheek swab only takes a minute to complete. There are no blood tests, needles, or saliva tests.
Screening done on a cheek swab is just as accurate as screening on blood samples. Doing your screening by a cheek swab is convenient as it is pain free and can be returned by post to the testing laboratory.
Once you've followed the instructions included in your kit, you can send your sample back to our lab using the reply-paid envelope included in your kit. Our lab will run your sample once it arrives back at our lab.
How long does it take to get my results?
Once our lab receives your sample (and your partner's sample if you've bought a couples' test), it can take up to 4 weeks (Standard Carrier Screening) or 6–8 weeks (Extended, Comprehensive Carrier Screening) for your results to be ready from when our lab receives your sample(s).
The exact time to get your results can vary depending on how long it takes for your kit to arrive via post or for your sample to be returned to our lab.
What is the advantage of couples' testing?
When planning a pregnancy, taking a carrier screening test as a couple provides you with more clinically relevant information than a single's test alone, making your results simpler and easier to understand. It is often also more cost-effective than taking multiple individual tests.
We are focused on providing reports that are the most clinically relevant to the reproductive couple being screened. Our couple-based reporting best supports healthcare providers in their patient management and reduces the need to explain non-relevant genetic information.
Over 80% of individuals are healthy carriers of at least one of the conditions in our extended and comprehensive tests. We do not report individual carrier status where it is not relevant to the health context of the couple being screened.
Are my results and data private and confidential?
Your privacy is very important to us – we believe your genetic data belongs to you. All your screening results are private and confidential – only you will have access. All your personal information is stored on highly secure, encrypted servers.
In case new evidence becomes available or re-testing is required, your sample is securely stored in our vault after analysis. However, after testing is completed, you can request to have your sample securely disposed of by our lab staff.
We never share your information with third parties without your consent. For more information, check out our Privacy Policy.
Does genetic testing affect my insurance?
Genetic test results do not need to be disclosed in relation to health insurance. However, life insurance requires an assessment of individual risk and results may need to be disclosed. There is currently a moratorium (a freeze) in place (until 30th June 2024) that limits the use of genetic test results for new life insurance policies worth up to $500,000.
Above $500,000 – the insurance company can ask for genetic test results but can only use them if relevant to the cover you’re applying for.
Do I need a doctor's referral?
No. You can organise testing directly through Lumi at any time without prior referral from a doctor or GP.
After ordering, you will be able to discuss any questions you have with one of Lumi's qualified practitioners. You will also have the opportunity to speak with a genetic counsellor about your results before your report is released.
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