title: Local impact of 'Antenatal Screening for Down syndrome and other conditions' on diagnosis and outcomes in a fetal medicine centre in New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In 2010, the National Screening Unit of the Ministry of Health launched 'Antenatal Screening for Down syndrome and other conditions'. Our aim was to assess the local impact of the new screening process on the number and outcomes of women attending a south island Fetal Medicine Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective audit; two time periods (T1 and T2) were reviewed. Data was prospectively collected in a viewpoint database and combined with data from other hospital databases and laboratories. Outcome measures included invasive procedures done and results and MSS1 results. Statistical analysis was done using Open Epi software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  51% of women who were pregnant in T2 underwent MSS1 screening. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of invasive procedures carried out 2.9% (175) vs. 4.1% (253), p0.0003 in T2. The proportion of procedures undertaken by Chorionic Villus Sampling and amniocentesis did not change. In both time periods no babies with Down syndrome were born following pregnancies where screening was undertaken and was low risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implementation of the new antenatal screening process in Canterbury has so far proved to be successful in maintaining detection rates of genetic anomalies whilst decreasing the numbers of invasive diagnostic procedures being done.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Christchurch Women's Hospital, Canterbury District Health Board, Private Bag 4711, Christchurch, New Zealand. alicia.mulligan@cdhb.health.nz.
authors.forename: Alicia C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mulligan
authors.forename: Jeannie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bingham
authors.forename: Rosemary A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015193:Chorionic Villi Sampling / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D009520:New Zealand; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012189:Retrospective Studies