Project ENTER: Pioneering Prenatal Care and Counselling

The ENTER project represents a significant step forward in the field of prenatal care, offering a vision of more accessible, affordable, and high-quality services for expectant mothers in Latvia. It places a specific focus on non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPT).

Through the ENTER project, four organizations, the Competence Centre on Health Technologies in Estonia, Latvian laboratory "GenEra" and clinics “Ģimenes sirds” and "Dubultu Doktorāts", have joined forces to provide high-quality prenatal care and counselling, utilizing modern genomic and digital technologies.

Objectives: The project´s primary objectives encompass establishing a contemporary digital data exchange and online counselling system while validating its effectiveness through a study involving 300 patients.

By harnessing the already established Estonian NIPT service (NIPTIFY), ENTER aims to empower healthcare providers in Vidzeme, Pierīga, and other Estonian-Latvian cross-border regions, thereby enhancing the quality and sustainability of prenatal care.

With approximately 20,000 deliveries in Latvia each year, of which 15% necessiate NIPT due to fetal genetic chromosomal disease risks, accessibility and affordability are critical. Currently, the high costs of tests and the lack of interpretation expertise in clinics restrict access to these vital healthcare services.

The collaboration with CCHT, an Estonian biotech company that has successfully implemented NIPTIFY, promises to provide essential support, ensuring comprehensive service delivery. By sharing expertise across regions, private clinics can offer genetic services without establishing separate competencies in each region. ENTER envisions breaking away from prevailing structures, thereby improving service quality and enhancing accessibility through the integration of digital, genetic, and clinical competencies.

Funding: The total project funding amounts 607 700 EUR, with a substantial 80% contribution coming from the Estonia-Latvia Programme 2021-2027.

Period: The project is scheduled to span from October 1st, 2023, to September 30th, 2026.

For an overview of the Interreg VI-A Estonia-Latvia Programme 2021-2027, please see here.