Noninvasive Prenatal Testing Essay - 1381 Words

The reviewed article reports the findings of a self-reported study of how mothers of children with down syndrome feel about noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), especially the impact they think it will have on their families and other families with children who have down syndrome. NIPT is a highly sensitive blood test that allows doctors to detect Down syndrome early on in pregnancy with no risk of miscarriage, therefore increasing the number of pregnancies identified with Down syndrome. Seventy-three mothers of children with Down syndrome responded to an anonymous survey that was posted on and emailed to users of message boards of various Down syndrome networks and support groups. Fifty-nine percent of the mothers indicated they would use†¦show more content†¦However, given NIPT’s highly sensitive results and no risk to the fetus, its use is expected to grow dramatically in the near future. There is some concern that an increase in NIPT could lead to decreased births of children with Down syndrome therefore leading to a decrease in social support and services for those who have Down syndrome and their families. Since NIPT has the potential to significantly impact the down syndrome community it is important to understand their respective views. This study assesses both current attitudes towards NIPT and what impact mothers of children with Down syndrome think increased use of NIPT in the future will have on their families and other families with children who have Down syndrome. Method Sample Self-reported mothers of children with Down syndrome. A link to the online survey was emailed to users of and posted on the message boards of regional and local Down syndrome support groups between October and December 2012. Instrumentation The survey began with a short description of NIPT. It was described as a test that â€Å"can diagnose some chromosome differences, like Down syndrome, earlier in pregnancy† and as a test that does â€Å"NOT have a risk of miscarriage and is very accurate.† The description included options available to women if a chromosome abnormality was found during testing, including termination of pregnancy and expectantShow MoreRelated Prenatal Diagnostic Tests and the Social, Legal, and Ethical Implications1805 Words   |  8 PagesPrenatal Diagnostic Tests and the Social, Legal, and Ethical Implications Introduction Jackie and Michael are expecting their first baby. Jackie is 32 years old and is in good health. She is 15 weeks pregnant and wants to do everything possible to ensure a healthy baby. Even though they do not have risk factors within their families, she and Michael decide to have an amniocentesis. The results indicate that their baby is a female with Turner Syndrome. This condition is caused by a missing