Patient preference regarding first-trimester aneuploidy risk assessment.

Abstract

We assessed patient views regarding disclosure of first-trimester Down syndrome risk assessment results compared with withholding results until a single, more accurate second-trimester screening result is available. A prospective, institutional review board-approved, voluntary, anonymous survey was presented to patients with singleton pregnancies who were undergoing first-trimester nuchal translucency and biochemical screening at our institution. Options included immediate (sequential testing) or later disclosure (integrated testing). Descriptions and a comparison of the options were included in the survey. One hundred one women completed the questionnaires; 69.3% of the patients preferred sequential testing, compared with 30.7% of the patients who were either unsure or preferred integrated testing. Older patients and those patients with better background knowledge of screening tests preferred earlier disclosure of screening results (P = .035 and P = .026, respectively). Patients who preferred earlier disclosure also preferred termination of a Down syndrome pregnancy (P = .013). Older patients and those patients with a better understanding of screening tests preferred immediate disclosure of first-trimester risk assessment results; these women were more likely to prefer to terminate an affected pregnancy.