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Preferences and expectations among Polish women regarding prenatal screening
, 12, 1, 3, 3, 3, 1
Affiliations- 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique
- Students’ Research Group, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
open access
Abstract
Objectives: Patients’ attitudes and expectations of prenatal screening for genetic abnormalities throughout pregnancy are rarely analyzed by researchers as emotions and fears are both important and challenging factors. Prenatal counselling has never been so difficult as we live in the era of detailed ultrasound scans, cell-free fetal DNA and detailed microarray testing. The aim of this study was to investigate Polish women’s attitudes towards screening for chromosomal abnormalities and fetal defects.
Material and methods: The study was a prospective survey conducted among a population of Polish women. An electronic questionnaire regarding prenatal diagnostics was distributed to a total number of 1072 female volunteers.
Results: 1044 patients (97.30%) stated that they were motivated to undergo prenatal diagnostics and would want to be informed about fetal abnormalities. Over 90% of the respondents would want to be informed about serious defects with a high mortality rate (including trisomy 13 or 18). More than half the Polish women (54.83%) stated they were willing to consider terminating pregnancy in the case of a severe abnormality.
Conclusions: Polish women expect prenatal screening. Almost all Polish women would want to be informed about both genetic and anatomical abnormalities and over half of them would consider terminating pregnancy in the case of a severe abnormality. Willingness to learn about a defect increased with average household income, and the statement of a will to terminate pregnancy depended mostly on maternal age and type of fetal abnormality.
Abstract
Objectives: Patients’ attitudes and expectations of prenatal screening for genetic abnormalities throughout pregnancy are rarely analyzed by researchers as emotions and fears are both important and challenging factors. Prenatal counselling has never been so difficult as we live in the era of detailed ultrasound scans, cell-free fetal DNA and detailed microarray testing. The aim of this study was to investigate Polish women’s attitudes towards screening for chromosomal abnormalities and fetal defects.
Material and methods: The study was a prospective survey conducted among a population of Polish women. An electronic questionnaire regarding prenatal diagnostics was distributed to a total number of 1072 female volunteers.
Results: 1044 patients (97.30%) stated that they were motivated to undergo prenatal diagnostics and would want to be informed about fetal abnormalities. Over 90% of the respondents would want to be informed about serious defects with a high mortality rate (including trisomy 13 or 18). More than half the Polish women (54.83%) stated they were willing to consider terminating pregnancy in the case of a severe abnormality.
Conclusions: Polish women expect prenatal screening. Almost all Polish women would want to be informed about both genetic and anatomical abnormalities and over half of them would consider terminating pregnancy in the case of a severe abnormality. Willingness to learn about a defect increased with average household income, and the statement of a will to terminate pregnancy depended mostly on maternal age and type of fetal abnormality.
Keywords
genetics; prenatal counselling; ultrasound
About this articleTitle
Preferences and expectations among Polish women regarding prenatal screening
Journal
Issue
Article type
Research paper
Pages
544-548
Published online
2019-09-30
Page views
1236
Article views/downloads
1016
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Ginekol Pol 2019;90(9):544-548.
Keywords
genetics
prenatal counselling
ultrasound
Authors
Przemyslaw Kosinski
Jose Carlos PB Ferreira
Michal Lipa
Martyna Kajurek
Karolina Kurlenko
Paulina Michalska
Miroslaw Wielgos
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