1
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Lewit-Mendes MF, Robson H, Kelley J, Elliott J, Brown E, Menezes M, Archibald AD. Experiences of receiving an increased chance of sex chromosome aneuploidy result from non-invasive prenatal testing in Australia: "A more complicated scenario than what I had ever realized". J Genet Couns 2023; 32:213-223. [PMID: 36114608 DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Many non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) platforms screen for sex chromosome aneuploidy (SCA) and SCA analysis is generally included in Australia where NIPT is available as a self-funded test. Little is known about the experience of receiving an NIPT result indicating an increased chance of SCA. This study aimed to explore the experiences of people who received this result and their perspectives on the information, care, and support they received from healthcare practitioners (HCPs). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people who received an NIPT result indicating an increased chance of SCA and continued their pregnancy. Most participants only had contact with a genetic counselor after receiving their result. Transcribed data were analyzed using rigorous thematic analysis to identify important patterns and themes. Participants (18 women, 2 male partners) described embarking on NIPT, primarily based on advice from their HCP and without much consideration. Consequently, participants expressed feeling unprepared for the unanticipated complexity of their NIPT result and were faced with making a time-sensitive decision about a condition they had not previously considered. While more pre-test information was desired, timely access to genetic counseling post-test assisted with adjustment to the result. These findings suggest that routinization of NIPT may be compromising informed decision-making, resulting in unpreparedness for an increased chance result. Given the increasing uptake and expanding scope of NIPT, resources should be dedicated to educating HCPs offering NIPT and ensuring timely access to genetic counseling post-result. With appropriate funding, genetics services may be able to play a central role in offering information and support to both people who undertake NIPT and their HCPs ordering the testing. Implementing a publicly funded screening program in Australia could assist with standardizing prenatal screening care pathways and consequently better access to appropriate resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda F Lewit-Mendes
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Monash Genetics, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hazel Robson
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Genetics Department, Number 1 Fertility, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joanne Kelley
- Mercy Perinatal, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Justine Elliott
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Erica Brown
- Genetics Clinic, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melody Menezes
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Monash Ultrasound for Women, Monash IVF, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alison D Archibald
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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2
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Tiller JM, Bakshi A, Brotchie AR, Green RC, Winship IM, Lacaze P. Public willingness to participate in population DNA screening in Australia. J Med Genet 2022:jmg-2022-108921. [DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2022-108921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundPopulation-based DNA screening for medically actionable conditions has the potential to improve public health by enabling early detection, treatment and/or prevention; however, public attitudes and willingness to participate in DNA screening have not been well investigated.MethodsWe presented a scenario to members of the Australian public, randomly selected from the electoral roll via the Australian Survey of Societal Attitudes, describing an adult population DNA screening programme currently under development, to detect risk of medically actionable cancers and heart disease. We asked questions regarding willingness to participate and pay, preferred delivery methods and concerns.ResultsWe received 1060 completed questionnaires (response rate 23%, mean age 58 years). The vast majority (>92%) expressed willingness to undertake DNA screening. When asked about the optimal age of screening, most (56%) favoured early adulthood (aged 18–40 years) rather than at birth or childhood. Many respondents would prefer samples and data be kept for re-screening (36%) or research use (43%); some preferred samples to be destroyed (21%). Issues that decrease likelihood of participation included privacy (75%) and insurance (86%) implications.ConclusionOur study demonstrates public willingness to participate in population DNA screening in Australia, and identifies barriers to participation, to be addressed in the design of screening programmes. Results are informing the development of a pilot national DNA screening programme.
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3
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Schmitz D, Henn W. The fetus in the age of the genome. Hum Genet 2021; 141:1017-1026. [PMID: 34426855 PMCID: PMC9160108 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-021-02348-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Due to a number of recent achievements, the field of prenatal medicine is now on the verge of a profound transformation into prenatal genomic medicine. This transformation is expected to not only substantially expand the spectrum of prenatal diagnostic and screening possibilities, but finally also to advance fetal care and the prenatal management of certain fetal diseases and malformations. It will come along with new and profound challenges for the normative framework and clinical care pathways in prenatal (and reproductive) medicine. To adequately address the potential ethically challenging aspects without discarding the obvious benefits, several agents are required to engage in different debates. The permissibility of the sequencing of the whole fetal exome or genome will have to be examined from a philosophical and legal point of view, in particular with regard to conflicts with potential rights of future children. A second requirement is a societal debate on the question of priority setting and justice in relation to prenatal genomic testing. Third, a professional-ethical debate and positioning on the goal of prenatal genomic testing and a consequential re-structuring of clinical care pathways seems to be important. In all these efforts, it might be helpful to envisage the unborn rather not as a fetus, not as a separate moral subject and a second "patient", but in its unique physical connection with the pregnant woman, and to accept the moral quandaries implicitly given in this situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Schmitz
- Institute for History, Theory and Ethics in Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Wolfram Henn
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
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4
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Abdalla O, Woods C. Barriers and potential solutions to improve access and equity in prenatal screening for rural women. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2021; 61:E22-E23. [PMID: 34109615 DOI: 10.1111/ajo.13332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Orit Abdalla
- The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cindy Woods
- Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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5
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Grant P, Langlois S, Lynd LD, Austin JC, Elliott AM. Out-of-pocket and private pay in clinical genetic testing: A scoping review. Clin Genet 2021; 100:504-521. [PMID: 34080181 DOI: 10.1111/cge.14006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Full coverage of the cost of clinical genetic testing is not always available through public or private insurance programs, or a public healthcare system. Consequently, some patients may be faced with the decision of whether to finance testing out-of-pocket (OOP), meet OOP expenses required by their insurer, or not proceed with testing. A scoping review was conducted to identify literature associated with patient OOP and private pay in clinical genetic testing. Seven databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, PAIS, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the JBI Evidence-Based Practice database) were searched, resulting in 83 unique publications included in the review. The presented evidence includes a descriptive analysis, followed by a narrative account of the extracted data. Results were divided into four groups according to clinical indication: (1) hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, (2) other hereditary cancers, (3) prenatal testing, (4) other clinical indications. The majority of studies focused on hereditary cancer and prenatal genetic testing. Overall trends indicated that OOP costs have fallen and payer coverage has improved, but OOP expenses continue to present a barrier to patients who do not qualify for full coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Grant
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada
| | - Sylvie Langlois
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada
| | - Larry D Lynd
- Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Jehannine C Austin
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alison M Elliott
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Women's Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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6
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Ravitsky V, Roy MC, Haidar H, Henneman L, Marshall J, Newson AJ, Ngan OMY, Nov-Klaiman T. The Emergence and Global Spread of Noninvasive Prenatal Testing. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2021; 22:309-338. [PMID: 33848430 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-083118-015053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Since its introduction in 2011, noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has spread rapidly around the world. It carries numerous benefits but also raises challenges, often related to sociocultural, legal, and economic contexts. This article describes the implementation of NIPT in nine countries, each with its own unique characteristics: Australia, Canada, China and Hong Kong, India, Israel, Lebanon, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Themes covered for each country include the structure of the healthcare system, how NIPT is offered, counseling needs and resources, and cultural and legal context regarding disability and pregnancytermination. Some common issues emerge, including cost as a barrier to equitable access, the complexity of decision-making about public funding, and a shortage of appropriate resources that promote informed choice. Conversely, sociocultural values that underlie the use of NIPT vary greatly among countries. The issues described will become even more challenging as NIPT evolves from a second-tier to a first-tier screening test with expanded use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardit Ravitsky
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada;
| | - Marie-Christine Roy
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada;
| | - Hazar Haidar
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3, Canada;
| | - Lidewij Henneman
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - John Marshall
- United Kingdom National Screening Committee, London SE1 8UG, United Kingdom;
| | - Ainsley J Newson
- Sydney Health Ethics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia;
| | - Olivia M Y Ngan
- Centre for Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Tamar Nov-Klaiman
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel;
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7
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Bellai-Dussault K, Meng L, Huang T, Reszel J, Walker M, Lanes A, Okun N, Armour C, Dougan S. A 2-year review of publicly funded cell-free DNA screening in Ontario: utilization and adherence to funding criteria. Prenat Diagn 2019; 40:164-172. [PMID: 31525278 DOI: 10.1002/pd.5563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ontario offers a publicly funded modified contingent model of prenatal screening for aneuploidy in which cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening is covered for pregnancies at higher risk of fetal aneuploidy. The objective of this study was to review utilization of provincially funded cfDNA screening and adherence to the criteria laid out in Ontario prenatal screening guidelines. METHODS This was a descriptive cohort study using data collected by Ontario's prescribed maternal and child registry. The study population included all pregnant individuals who received cfDNA screening from January 2016 to December 2017. RESULTS The most common criteria for provincially funded cfDNA screening were advanced maternal age ≥40 years (37.7%), positive multiple marker screen (34.1%), modifying risk factors such as ultrasound soft markers (7.1%), and previous aneuploidy (5.5%). The audit demonstrated that 2.9% of funded cfDNA screens tests did not meet funding criteria, and that 11.4% of self-paid cfDNA screens could have been publicly funded. CONCLUSION Reviewing and auditing the application of criteria for funded cfDNA screening using prescribed registry data allows an opportunity to identify areas where targeted education may improve adherence to standardized screening protocols, and provides a basis for reassessment of the funding model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Bellai-Dussault
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lynn Meng
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tianhua Huang
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,The Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation & Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Reszel
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Walker
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrea Lanes
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nan Okun
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Armour
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shelley Dougan
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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8
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Kluckow E, Halliday J, Poulton A, Lindquist A, Hutchinson B, Bethune M, Bonacquisto L, Da Silva Costa F, Gugasyan L, Harraway J, Howden A, Kulkarni A, Martin N, McCoy R, Menezes M, Nisbet D, Palma-Dias R, Pertile MD, Poulakis Z, Hui L. Association between timing of diagnosis of trisomy 21, 18, and 13 and maternal socio-economic status in Victoria, Australia: A population-based cohort study from 2015 to 2016. Prenat Diagn 2019; 39:1254-1261. [PMID: 31691307 DOI: 10.1002/pd.5577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the association between timing of diagnosis of common autosomal trisomies, maternal age, and socio-economic status (SES). DESIGN Retrospective study of cytogenetic diagnoses of trisomy 21 (T21), trisomy 18 (T18), and trisomy 13 (T13) in Victoria, Australia, in 2015 to 2016, stratified by timing (prenatal less than 17 weeks gestation, prenatal including or greater than or 17 weeks gestation, and postnatal before 12 months of age), maternal age, and SES region. Utilisation of prenatal testing following a live-born T21 infant was ascertained via record linkage. RESULTS Among 160 230 total births were 571 diagnoses of T21 and 246 of T18/T13. The overall and live birth prevalences of T21 were 3.56 and 0.47 per 1000 births, respectively. Compared with women from disadvantaged SES regions, women from high SES regions were more likely to have a prenatal diagnosis of a trisomy before 17 weeks than after (P < .01) and less likely to have a live-born T21 infant than a prenatal diagnosis (P < .01). There was a significant trend to higher live birth rates of T21 with lower SES (P = .004). The majority (68.5%) of women who gave birth to a live infant with T21 did not utilise prenatal testing. CONCLUSION There is a significant relationship between lower SES, later prenatal diagnosis of trisomy, and higher live birth rate of T21 in Victoria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Kluckow
- Reproductive Epidemiology Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jane Halliday
- Reproductive Epidemiology Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alice Poulton
- Reproductive Epidemiology Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthea Lindquist
- Reproductive Epidemiology Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Briohny Hutchinson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Bethune
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Specialist Women's Ultrasound, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Leonard Bonacquisto
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fabricio Da Silva Costa
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lucy Gugasyan
- Cytogenetics, Monash Pathology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - James Harraway
- Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Amanda Howden
- Cytogenetics, Melbourne Pathology, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Abhijit Kulkarni
- Cytogenetics, Monash Pathology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Richard McCoy
- Molecular Genetics, Australian Clinical Labs, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melody Menezes
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Monash Ultrasound for Women, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Debbie Nisbet
- Women's Ultrasound Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Ultrasound Services, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine and Radiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ricardo Palma-Dias
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Women's Ultrasound Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Ultrasound Services, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark D Pertile
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zeffie Poulakis
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program, Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Prevention Innovation Group, Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lisa Hui
- Reproductive Epidemiology Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Northern Hospital, Epping, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Crabbe RE, Stone P, Filoche SK. What are women saying about noninvasive prenatal testing? An analysis of online pregnancy discussion forums. Prenat Diagn 2019; 39:890-895. [DOI: 10.1002/pd.5500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E.S. Crabbe
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's HealthUniversity of Otago, Wellington Wellington New Zealand
| | - Peter Stone
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyThe University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Sara K. Filoche
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's HealthUniversity of Otago, Wellington Wellington New Zealand
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10
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Bowman-Smart H, Savulescu J, Mand C, Gyngell C, Pertile MD, Lewis S, Delatycki MB. 'Small cost to pay for peace of mind': Women's experiences with non-invasive prenatal testing. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2019; 59:649-655. [PMID: 30724335 PMCID: PMC6850570 DOI: 10.1111/ajo.12945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Background Non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has been available in Australia on a user‐pays basis since 2012. Since its introduction, it has grown in popularity as a screening method for fetal aneuploidy and may become publicly funded. Aims To assess the motivations and experiences of women who have undergone NIPT in a user‐pays system in Australia. Materials and methods One thousand women who had undergone NIPT through the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services in Melbourne, Australia were contacted and asked to complete a mixed‐methods survey. The number of eligible responses received was 235. Quantitative data analysis was performed in STATA IC 15.1, and qualitative data were examined using content analysis. Results Women reported generally positive experiences with NIPT and 95% of respondents indicated they would undergo NIPT in a future pregnancy. Most respondents received a low‐risk result, with 2.2% receiving a high‐risk result. Respondents viewed NIPT favourably compared to invasive testing and cited reassurance as a key reason they sought it. However, a small minority of women reported negative experiences with the testing process. Women were also supportive of NIPT becoming publicly funded, with 93% of respondents indicating support. Pre‐ and post‐test counselling were identified as possible areas for improvement to ensure informed consent. Conclusion In support of the existing literature, these results indicate that Australian women generally report positive experiences with NIPT. As NIPT becomes more common, with possible integration into public healthcare, further qualitative research would be valuable to examine the motivations and experiences of women undergoing NIPT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary Bowman-Smart
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julian Savulescu
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Cara Mand
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher Gyngell
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark D Pertile
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sharon Lewis
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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