[Attitudes towards prenatal diagnosis of deafness among parents to children with cochlear implants].
BACKGROUND
Hearing loss affects 1.5 of newborns in Denmark. New research estimates that genetic factors account for 60% of hearing loss present at birth or in early childhood. The growing knowledge of the genetic causes of hearing loss provides new potential in the diagnostic process, either as prenatal diagnostics (PND) by means of placenta biopsy or amniocentesis or as a supplement to the existing audiologic screening. The purpose of this study was to shed light on the attitude towards PND among the parents of 22 children who received a cochlear implant in the cochlear implant centre of Western Denmark.


METHODS
The parents received a questionnaire with questions on demographics and general attitudes and personal views regarding PND.


RESULTS
In total, 42 persons received a questionnaire, 18 replied (41%). There was generally a positive attitude towards attaining early knowledge about the child's hearing status. The most significant reason for this attitude was that it would make it possible to prepare for having a deaf child. Only 6% thought that the obtained knowledge would lead to termination of pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
In consistency with these parents' point of view, audiologic testing was implemented in Denmark in 2004. In future, screening for hearing loss would benefit from the addition of molecular genetic testing to detect late-onset hearing loss.
Arhus Universitetshospital, Arhus Sygehus, Øre-, naese- og halskirurgisk Afdeling.
Anne
A
Thorsen
Louise
L
Devantier
Therese
T
Ovesen
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003638:Deafness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires