Is Prenatal Screening Right For Me?
Deciding whether to have prenatal genetic screening can be difficult. It is also a personal decision with no right or wrong answer. You might ask yourself:
How important is it for you to know if there is a higher chance of a genetic condition that could affect your baby's health and development?
Some people would rather find out about trisomy 21 or trisomy 18 after the baby is born. Others would like to know during the pregnancy if there is a higher chance for having a baby with one of these genetic conditions. They might not always be sure yet of what steps they will take once they have the result.
How comfortable are you with the fact that screening can only give you a chance result, and not a "yes" or "no"?
Screening will only be able to tell if you there is a high chance or a low chance. For some people, having this information is still helpful. Other people are not comfortable with only getting a chance result. For example, they would rather not risk getting a false positive result. A false positive result is when screening gives a "high chance" result but the baby does not have a chromosome difference.
Would a "low chance" screening result be reassuring?
Some people would feel reassured if they get a “low chance” result. Others might not feel reassured by this information. Or, having information about these genetic conditions is not very important to some and they are not looking for reassurance.
Have you thought about what you might do with a "high chance" screening result?
| What are your thoughts about continuing or ending a pregnancy with trisomy 21 or trisomy 18? |
| Everyone makes different decisions depending on their values and beliefs. It is important that you feel supported by your health-care practitioner no matter what choice you make. |
| Would you have diagnostic testing for "yes" or "no" answers? |
| Diagnostic tests carry a small risk of miscarriage but it is the only way to get a “yes” or “no” answer during the pregnancy. You should especially think about having a diagnostic test if you would choose to end a pregnancy with trisomy 21 or trisomy 18. |
| What could this result mean for your pregnancy care? |
| If you decide to continue the pregnancy, there might be more prenatal care and monitoring recommended for you and the baby. There might also be a special plan in place to make sure the baby has extra medical care if needed. You do not need a diagnostic test for this to happen. If there are lots of signs that the baby has a medical condition, that might be enough to change how your pregnancy is looked after. |
| Would having this result help you prepare? |
| For some people who choose to continue the pregnancy, it is helpful to have the extra time to prepare. They might find out about local resources, learn more about the genetic condition, and connect with other families. Other people might think about making an adoption plan for the baby. |
Do you still need more information to decide whether to have prenatal genetic screening? You might wish to learn more about the chromosome differences that are tested, and the screens available at your stage in the pregnancy. It can also be helpful to discuss the decision with your health-care provider or one of our certified genetic counsellors.
No matter what choice you make, you can still have the 11-14 week ultrasound and 18-22 ultrasound in the pregnancy. Ultrasounds offer important information about the pregnancy and even your health. These ultrasounds will give you information such as:
- how far along your pregnancy is;
- how many babies you are carrying; and
- whether there are concerns with the baby's growth and development.
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