title: Survey of second-trimester maternal serum screening in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Second-trimester maternal serum screening (MSS) is the predominant form of prenatal screening in Japan. We hypothesize that patient education and physician knowledge of Down syndrome (DS) screening are insufficient to provide adequate information regarding prenatal screening in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-person or telephone interviews with medical personnel were conducted at 25 medical facilities utilizing Afp(4) (Esoterix Genetic Laboratories, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings) second trimester screening. We explored how medical facilities provided information about the MSS process to pregnant women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before prenatal testing, 60% of medical facilities spent an average of less than 5 min per patient explaining the MSS process. The option of amniocentesis for chromosomal aneuploidy was explained at nearly all facilities, but only 60% explained the risk of amniocentesis. Ultrasound examination for open neural tube defects was explained only at half the facilities. Only five of 25 (20%) medical practitioners explained the possibility of having congenital disorders fetus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that most obstetricians in Japan do not provide their patients with sufficient information about MSS.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan. okuyama-t@ncchd.go.jp
authors.forename: Torayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okuyama
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yotsumoto
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Funato
mesh_terms: D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000451:nursing; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D062145:Maternal Serum Screening Tests / Q000451:nursing; D008880:Midwifery; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000451:nursing; D009726:Nurses; D009774:Obstetrics; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing; D013997:Time Factors; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000451:nursing; D000078329:Workforce