Decision outcomes in women offered noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) for positive Down screening results

Abstract

In this first Asian study, the decision outcomes (decision conflict, decision regret, and anxiety) of 262 pregnant women offered noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) for high-risk Down screening results were assessed. Decision conflict was experienced by 3.5% and level of decisional regret low (mean score 15.7, 95%CI 13.2–18.3). All 13 cases of decisional regret were NIPT acceptors. Elevated anxiety was experienced by 55.9% at the time of decision making about NIPT and persistent in 30.3%. Insufficient knowledge about NIPT was associated with elevated anxiety at decision making (p = .011) and with decisional regret (p = .016). Decisional regret was associated with prolonged anxiety (p = .010).

Keywords:

• Non-invasive prenatal test
• Down syndrome
• screening
• decision conflict
• decision regret
• anxiety

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Funding

There was no funding source for this study.