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Survey of current prenatal screening for Down syndrome in Australian hospitals providing maternity care
Author(s) -
Lawrence Kathryn,
Crowther Caroline A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1046/j.0004-8666.2003.00071.x
Subject(s) - medicine , down syndrome , family medicine , prenatal screening , demography , obstetrics , pregnancy , prenatal diagnosis , fetus , psychiatry , biology , sociology , genetics
Background: The present study assessed the screening tests for Down syndrome available to women within Australian hospitals. Methods: Postal questionnaires. Results: A total of 282 (57%) hospitals responded with over two‐thirds offering some form of screening test which varied by geographical region and level of institution. First trimester maternal serum screening was offered by 11% of hospitals. Nuchal translucency screening was offered by 52% of hospitals with higher use in Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales than in the other regions. Second trimester maternal serum screening was offered by 75% of hospitals with higher rates in Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and the lowest rate in Queensland. Conclusions: A high proportion of women are offered screening but with wide variation in the tests used.