A comparison of the impact of screen‐positive results obtained from ultrasound and biochemical screening for Down syndrome in the first trimester: a pilot study

Abstract

An unfavourable screening result after NT screening appeared to have a greater impact than an unfavourable result after serum screening. This might partly be explained by the ultrasound examination visualising the increased risk during NT screening. An additional important role may have been played by the fact that an abnormal NT screening result implies an increased risk of other disorders besides Down syndrome, which the women should be informed about beforehand. Several factors place special demands on the counselling prior to NT screening.

Increased nuchal translucency thickness and normal karyotype: time for parental reassurance

“…The finding of an increased NT is always a stressful event for the parents12, 26. Even after a normal karyotype is found, the fear of non‐detectable anomalies can induce anxiety and sometimes trigger a request for termination of a wanted pregnancy.…”

Increased nuchal translucency in euploid fetuses—what should we be telling the parents?

“…' Ville (2001) clearly depicts how challenging it can be to give parents realistic and correct information on the subject. The visual impact on the parents of the nuchal fluid collection seen at ultrasound examination can raise anxiety about future development and postnatal outcome (Bilardo, 2001;Weinans et al, 2004). Even if this accumulation usually tends to disappear after 14 weeks, the uncertainty can persist and be exacerbated by excessively cautious or defensive counseling by the medical practitioner.…”

Parents' dilemmas and decision making on the outcome of pregnancy after prenatal diagnoses of fetal anomalies

“…Da odabir tehnike prenatalne dijagnostike može uticati na percepciju roditelja o težini anomalija fetusa, pokazuju nalazi studije u kojoj su zabeleženi negativniji psihološki efekti kod trudnica čiji su nepovoljni rezultati dobijeni ispitivanjem putem ultrazvučnog pregleda, u odnosu na one koje su radile test seruma krvi (Weinans et al, 2004). Uzrok tome može biti to što se na ultrazvučnom pregledu vizuelizuje povišeni rizik, dok je u slučaju biohemijskog testa procenjeni rizik predstavljen u vidu serije brojeva na parčetu papira, te je za roditelje možda manje stvaran.…”