Factors affecting the uptake of screening for neural tube defect

Dorothy Kyle*, Carole Cummins, Stuart Evans

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A questionnaire concerning pregnant women's knowledge of, and attitudes to, serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) screening for spina bifida was sent to all pregnant women receiving a health education leaflet on AFP screening who booked at the Birmingham Maternity Hospital in the first quarter of 1984. The majority said that they would accept the test, and subsequently did so. This suggests that low uptake of the test is not a result of patients' resistance, and the results indicated that the provision of early information about the test is likely to improve uptake and decrease anxiety. With the increasing clinical usefulness of the AFP test, routine screening of pregnant women with an 'opt-out' system is becoming clinically desirable, and the survey suggests that it would be acceptable to the patients.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)560-564
Number of pages5
JournalBJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Volume95
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - Jun 1988

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology

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