Perspectıves of mothers and expectant mothers on newborn screening tests: a qualitative study

This study aimed to examine in depth the thoughts of pregnant women and mothers in the first six months postpartum regarding newborn screening tests using qualitative research method. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 23 participants, including 10 pregnant women and 13 mothers within the first six months postpartum. Participants were recruited through purposive maximum variation sampling from a university hospital. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis until data saturation was achieved. The analysis revealed four main themes: factors influencing the decision to have newborn screening test, experiences during the newborn screening test process, information sources and expectations about newborn screening test, opposing views on newborn screening test, possible reasons, and other people’s perspectives. No remarkable difference was detected in the opinions with respect to their job and being pregnant or having a child. The findings suggest that pregnant women and mothers generally support newborn screening but have important unmet information needs. Improving prenatal education and providing consistent, evidence-based communication through healthcare professionals may strengthen public understanding of newborn screening and help address misinformation. Future studies should specifically investigate the perspectives of parents who decline newborn screening to better understand barriers to participation.