Maternal serum screening for Down syndrome – opinions on acceptance from Swedish women

BACKGROUND: Different screening procedures are becoming an important part of health care. Information about screening and its consequences can be difficult to both impart and understand. This study examined women's theoretical acceptance of a new screening procedure, before its introduction. METHODS: A group of women (n = 823), who had made an informed choice about the form of foetal diagnosis they wished for, were also asked, in a questionnaire, about their opinion on the acceptability of serum screening for Down syndrome. The main purpose of the this was to ascertain their feelings when making a choice. RESULTS: Replies were received from 80.4%. The answers indicated that serum screening would be acceptable to 86% of the women who had chosen a second trimester ultrasound examination. Of the women who had chosen amniocentesis, 51% would consider the test acceptable as a first alternative. CONCLUSIONS: The ease with which the women were able to make their choice of prenatal diagnosis had bearing on their degree of acceptance of serum screening for Down syndrome.