title: NIPT-based screening for Down syndrome and beyond: what do pregnant women think?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to study pregnant women's views on noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for Down syndrome and the potential to test for a broader range of conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online questionnaire available on the Dutch pregnancy fair website was completed by 381 pregnant women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the women, 51% expressed interest in having NIPT, including 33% of women who had declined first-trimester screening. The majority (73%) thought that the uptake of screening would increase with NIPT. Most women agreed that testing for life-threatening (89%), severe physical (79%), or severe mental (76%) disorders should be offered. A minority (29%) felt that prenatal screening should also be offered for late-onset disorders. Most (41%) preferred to have a free choice from a list of disorders, 31% preferred a 'closed offer', and 26% preferred choosing between packages of disorders. Although most women (76%) thought that screening for a broad range of conditions would avoid much suffering, 39% feared that it would confront couples with choices, the implications of which would be difficult to grasp.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the uptake of screening will increase with NIPT. If NIPT will be offered for a broad range of conditions, it is crucial to find a way that facilitates rather than undermines well-informed decision-making.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rachèl V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: van Schendel
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Research Institutes GROW and CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wybo J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Dondorp
authors.affiliation: EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Department of Public and Occupational Health, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Danielle R M
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Timmermans
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eline J H
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: van Hugte
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fetal Medicine Unit, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pajkrt
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Augusta M A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lachmeijer
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lidewij
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Henneman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004247:DNA