Screening for neural‐tube defects and maternal anxiety
- 1 March 1982
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Vol. 89 (3), 218-221
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1982.tb03618.x
Abstract
Anxiety levels were studied in 176 women with raised serum .alpha.-fetoprotein levels at 16-18 wk gestation, at the time they attended a central assessment clinic and again 2-3 wk later in those not found to have a fetus with a neural tube defect. Methods of imparting information about the serum screening tests and the manner in which a normal amniotic fluid result was conveyed to the patient were also studied. Overall, women attending the clinic for further assessment were extremely anxious, irrespective of the source of their information. Anxiety scores 2-3 wk after testing were greatly influenced by whether the patient had been given a definite normal result or whether she was told to assume that the result was normal if she did not hear from the clinic. Patients who, after reassessment, did not require amniocentesis had some residual anxiety despite verbal reassurance.This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit:
- The effect of the introduction of prenatal diagnosis on the reproductive history of women at increased risk from neural tube defectsPrenatal Diagnosis, 1981
- The effectiveness of antenatal educationHealth Education Journal, 1979