title: Survey of current prenatal screening for Down syndrome in Australian hospitals providing maternity care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study assessed the screening tests for Down syndrome available to women within Australian hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postal questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 282 (57%) hospitals responded with over two-thirds offering some form of screening test which varied by geographical region and level of institution. First trimester maternal serum screening was offered by 11% of hospitals. Nuchal translucency screening was offered by 52% of hospitals with higher use in Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales than in the other regions. Second trimester maternal serum screening was offered by 75% of hospitals with higher rates in Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and the lowest rate in Queensland.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high proportion of women are offered screening but with wide variation in the tests used.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Caroline A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Crowther
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires