title: Prenatal paradox: an integrative review of women's experiences with prenatal screening for fetal aneuploidy and neural tube defects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As prenatal screening for fetal aneuploidy and neural tube defects evolves technologically and becomes increasingly utilized worldwide, an evaluation of the available evidence on women's experiences with prenatal screening is warranted.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To conduct an integrative review to enhance understanding of women's experiences with prenatal screening for fetal aneuploidy and neural tube defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic literature searches from January 2005 through January 2016, using the CINAHL, PubMed, and PsychInfo electronic databases and ancestry searches of included studies were performed to identify previously published, peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The integrative review method as proposed by Whittemore and Knafl was selected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine studies were included in the review. The literature reveals that prenatal screening occurs in a complex social, ethical, and political reality. A theme of paradox emerged indicating the incongruity between reported and perceived risk, the tension between informational utility and moral decisions concerning pregnancy management, and the pervasive influences of authoritative and experiential knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for future inquiry to critically examine the interrelationships of individual, biomedical, ethical, and sociopolitical factors surrounding prenatal screening.
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing , The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , 101 McIver House, North Drive Extension, Greensboro , NC 27412 , USA.
authors.forename: Tamra L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Shea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000782:Aneuploidy; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Down syndrome; antenatal screening; fetal aneuploidy; maternal serum screening; neural tube defects; non-invasive prenatal testing; nuchal translucency; prenatal screening