Ethnic differences in considerations whether or not to participate in prenatal screening for Down syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate ethnic differences in considerations whether or not to participate in prenatal screening for Down syndrome and to relate these to differences in participation.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 270 pregnant women from Dutch, Turkish and Surinamese (African and South Asian) ethnic origin, attending midwifery or obstetrical practices in the Netherlands. Women were interviewed after booking for prenatal care. Considerations were assessed by one open-ended question and 18 statements that were derived from focus group interviews. Actual participation was assessed several months later.


RESULTS
Women from ethnic minorities were less likely to participate in prenatal screening, which could be attributed to differences in age and religious identity. They more often reported acceptance of 'what God gives', low risk of having a child with Down syndrome and costs of screening as considerations not to participate in prenatal screening. They also reported many considerations in favour of participation, which did not differ from those of Dutch women but were less often consistent with actual participation in screening.


CONCLUSIONS
Women from ethnic minorities should not be stereotyped as being uninterested in prenatal screening, but should be better informed about the consequences of prenatal screening and Down syndrome.
Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.fransen@erasmusmc.nl
Mirjam P
MP
Fransen
Hajo I J
HI
Wildschut
Ineke
I
Vogel
Johan P
JP
Mackenbach
Eric A P
EA
Steegers
Marie-Louise
ML
Essink-Bot
D000328:Adult; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013532:Suriname / Q000208:ethnology; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology