Methods for automated extraction of nucleic acids are disclosed. Also disclosed are method and kits for isolating fetal nucleic acids from a plasma sample of a pregnant woman. The method includes flowing the plasma sample through a first filter under conditions that allow binding of the fetal and maternal nucleic acids to the first filter; eluting the fetal and maternal nucleic acids bound to the first filter to produce a concentrated nucleic acid sample; flowing the concentrated nucleic acid sample through a second filter under conditions that allow preferential binding of the maternal nucleic acids to the second filter; and recovering the fetal nucleic acid from the concentrated nucleic acid sample that flow through the second filter.