Factors influencing the acceptance of prenatal testing by pregnant women

Objectives: To analyze the factors influencing the maternal uptake of invasive prenatal testing Design: Retrospective clinical study Setting: Erciyes University Obstetric Clinic Perinatology Unit, Turkey Subjects: A total of 1412 referred patients, of whom 291 were offered invasive prenatal testing (20.6%) Intervention(s): 143 women (49.1%) opted for invasive testing (group 1) and 148 women (50.9%) declined (group 2). Main outcome measure(s): We compared the distribution of invasive test uptake relevant to the maternal age, obstetric history, educational level, abnormal screening tests, structural malformations and living area. Results: We offered an invasive prenatal testing to 291 women out of 1412 patients (20.6%) for various reasons. Among them, 143 women (49.1%) opted for invasive testing and 148 women (50.9%) declined. Abnormal prenatal screening tests were found to have no effect on the uptake of invasive testing by women of advanced maternal age. The only demographic parameter that affects the uptake of invasive testing was the location, and women who were living in the rural areas had a higher rate of uptake (p: 0.026). No statistically significant difference was detected for the uptake of test with respect to age, educational level or previous pregnancy loss (p >0.05). Conclusions: The uptake of invasive diagnostic tests by pregnant women is determined by the complex network of personal and social factors rather than screening tests and maternal age. Therefore, antenatal screening, and genetic counselling program taking into account these factors should be implemented.