Women's attitude towards routine human platelet antigen‐screening in pregnancy

Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia is a potentially life‐threatening disease with excellent preventative treatment available for subsequent pregnancies. To prevent index cases, the effectiveness of a population‐based screening program has been suggested repeatedly. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate women's attitude towards possible future human platelet antigen‐screening in pregnancy. Material and methods We performed a cross‐sectional questionnaire study among healthy pregnant women receiving prenatal care in one of seven participating midwifery practices. Attitude was assessed using a questionnaire based on the validated Multidimensional Measurement of Informed Choice model, containing questions assessing knowledge, attitude and intention to participate. Results A total of 143 of the 220 women (65%) completed and returned the questionnaire. A positive attitude towards human platelet antigen‐screening was expressed by 91% of participants, of which 94% was based on sufficient knowledge. Attitude was more likely to be negatively influenced by the opinion that screening can be frightening. Informed choices were made in 87% and occurred significantly less in women from non‐European origin, 89% in European women vs. 60% in non‐European women ( p = 0.03). Conclusions Pregnant women in the Netherlands expressed a positive attitude towards human platelet antigen‐screening in pregnancy. We therefore expect a high rate of informed uptake when human platelet antigen‐screening is implemented. In future counseling on human platelet antigen‐screening, ethnicity and possible anxiety associated with a screening test need to be specifically addressed.