How do carriers of hemophilia experience prenatal diagnosis by fetal blood sampling?
A semistructured personal interview was performed with 29 carriers of hemophilia A or B, 1-4 years after a pregnancy in which prenatal diagnosis (PND) of hemophilia was performed by fetal blood sampling. The carriers had received different recommendations regarding future pregnancies, and 14/29 did not know before they became pregnant that PND by fetal blood sampling was possible. One third of the women felt that important information was lacking in the consultations that preceded the PND. The conclusions regarding future genetic counselling are that more attention should be paid to improving education of all female carriers before a pregnancy, to motivating fathers-to-be to attend counselling sessions with the carriers, and to emphasizing the importance of the emotional support given by the family doctor and by other females who have experienced PND.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D002836:Hemophilia B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis