Parental decisions regarding prenatally detected fetal sex chromosomal abnormality and the impact of genetic counselling: an analysis of 57 cases in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse parental decisions regarding pregnancies with sex chromosome abnormalities (SCA).


METHODS
Collected and reviewed records from our hospital for 1991-2005. Genetic counselling was provided by obstetricians or perinatologists.


RESULTS
Among 57 fetuses with SCA were 36 non-mosaic cases (four of 36, 45,X; 12 of 36, 47,XXY; seven of 36, 47,XYY, 13 of 36, 47,XXX) and 21 mosaic cases (15 of 21, 45,X mosaicism). Only 20% of 45,X mosaic pregnancies were continued, whereas all other mosaic pregnancies (100%) were continued (P = 0.004). Of 32 SCA cases counselled by a perinatologist, 66% (21 of 32) were continued. In contrast, 36% (nine of 25) of cases counselled by a general obstetrician were continued, a barely significant difference (P = 0.048). More couples chose to continue pregnancies in recent years.


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic counselling by well-trained specialists is valuable, and the trend towards fewer terminations at our centre suggests improved parental knowledge of pathology associated with SCA.
Shaw
Sheng-Wen
SW
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Chueh
Ho-Yen
HY
Chang
Shuenn-Dyh
SD
Cheng
Po-Jen
PJ
Hsieh
T'sang-T'ang
TT
Soong
Yung-Kuei
YK
D000025:Abortion, Eugenic / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D025064:Sex Chromosome Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D013624:Taiwan