Midwives and information on prenatal testing with focus on Down syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate midwives' knowledge of prenatal diagnosis especially Down syndrome, information given by midwives to parents, expectant parents' requests for information and how midwives perceive their own competence to give information.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, prospective study with a questionnaire was completed by 64 out of 70 midwives working in the outpatient antenatal care in Uppsala County, Sweden.


RESULTS
The midwives had varying and in some areas low levels of knowledge about Down syndrome. Information about Down syndrome was most often given only when asked for or when there was an increased probability of a Down syndrome pregnancy. The most common questions from expectant parents concerned test methods and risk assessments while questions regarding symptoms of Down syndrome and consequences of having a child with Down syndrome were uncommon. The majority (83-89%) had insufficient or no education regarding different prenatal tests. Only two midwives (3%) had received education about Down syndrome, and 9% felt they had sufficient knowledge to inform about the syndrome. More education about prenatal tests and Down syndrome was desired by 94%.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important to ensure that midwives in antenatal care have sufficient knowledge to inform expectant parents about the conditions screened for. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Ellen
E
Ternby
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.|Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Charlotta
C
Ingvoldstad
Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Göran
G
Annerén
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.|Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Ove
O
Axelsson
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies