Premium
Levels of knowledge of Down syndrome and Down syndrome testing in Australian women
Author(s) -
Mulvey Sheila,
Wallace Euan M
Publication year - 2001
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 - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.2001.tb01202.x
Subject(s) - down syndrome , medicine , pregnancy , prenatal screening , family medicine , prenatal diagnosis , psychiatry , fetus , genetics , biology
Summary: At their first hospital antenatal visit, 209 women were interviewed to explore their level of knowledge of Down syndrome and the available prenatal tests. Overall, the women had limited knowledge. Non‐Caucasian women had less knowledge of Down syndrome, available prenatal tests and the association of Down syndrome with advanced maternal age than Caucasian women. Women with a history of a previous pregnancy and women over 35 years of age were not more aware of Down syndrome or the available tests than other women. These findings have significant implications for antenatal education and the implementation of screening programs for Down syndrome.