Effects of knowledge, education, and experience on acceptance of first trimester screening for chromosomal anomalies.

• Published in: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
• Main Authors: Stefansdottir, Vigdis, Skirton, Heather, Jonasson, Kristjan, Hardardottir, Hildur, Jonsson, Jon Johannes
• Other Authors: Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Landspitali University Hospital, Iceland.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Informa Healthcare 2010
• Subjects: Adult; Chorionic Gonadotropin; beta Subunit; Human; Chromosome Disorders; Female; Genetic Testing; Health Knowledge; Attitudes; Practice; Humans; Iceland; Intervention Studies; Maternal Health Services; Nuchal Translucency Measurement; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Patient Compliance; Patient Education as Topic; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester; First; Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A; Prenatal Care; Prenatal Diagnosis; Questionnaires; Risk Factors
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/113619; https://doi.org/10.3109/00016341003686073

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field OBJECTIVES: To assess pregnant women's knowledge and understanding of first trimester prenatal screening (nuchal translucency, maternal serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin and pregnancy-associated plasma-protein-A), to evaluate the impact of a new information booklet and investigate the effects of education and experiential knowledge of congenital disabilities on the perceived likelihood of accepting prenatal screening. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental quantitative study with a self-completion questionnaire. SETTING: Five different maternity care clinics in Iceland. POPULATION: Expectant mothers in first trimester of pregnancy (n = 379). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Expectant mothers were divided into two groups, an intervention and a control group, both receiving traditional care and information. The intervention group additionally received an information booklet about prenatal screening and diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women's knowledge score of prenatal screening. The correlation between education, knowledge score, experiential knowledge of congenital disabilities, and the likelihood of accepting prenatal screening. RESULTS: More than half of the women (57%) believed they received sufficient information to make an informed decision about screening. Knowledge scores were significantly higher for the intervention group (with mean 4.8 compared with 3.7 on a 0-8 scale, p < 0.0001). Those with higher scores were more likely to accept screening (p < 0.0001). Women with experiential knowledge of congenital anomalies in their own families were more likely to accept prenatal screening (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Various factors, e.g. experiential knowledge, education and information about prenatal screening affect the likelihood of participation in prenatal screening programs. More information results in better knowledge and higher uptake rate.