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Influence of ethnic origin on nuchal translucency screening for Down's syndrome
Author(s) -
Thilaganathan B.,
Khare M.,
Williams B.,
Wathen N. C.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1998.12020112.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nuchal translucency , nuchal translucency measurement , obstetrics , population , down syndrome , ethnic group , obstetrics and gynaecology , observational study , pregnancy , first trimester , gynecology , fetus , environmental health , psychiatry , sociology , biology , anthropology , genetics
Objective To determine the influence of ethnic origin on access to and equity of nuchal translucency screening for Down's syndrome in a multiethnic population. Design An observational study in a district general hospital with a large multiethnic population. Subjects 1944 women attending at a hospital antenatal clinic. Main outcome measures First‐trimester fetal nuchal translucency measurements at 10–14 weeks in women from different ethnic groups. Results The racial origin of the screened population was not significantly different from that of the population attending for initial antenatal examination. Multiple regression analysis showed a small but significant difference in nuchal translucency measurement between fetuses of different ethnic origin. Conclusion Nuchal translucency screening can be effectively and equitably delivered to a multiethnic population. Although there are significant differences in nuchal translucency measurement between ethnic groups, these differences are too small to require correction when nuchal translucency is used to screen for Down's syndrome. Copyright © 1998 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology