Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program

Abstract Women's autonomy and an inclusive society for all individuals are highly valued in Norway. The Norwegian Biotechnology Act changed in 2020 allowing first‐trimester screening and cell‐free DNA for common trisomies to all pregnant women. However, implementing non‐invasive prenatal testin...

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Main Authors: Kjell Åsmund Blix Salvesen, Ragnhild Glad, Vasilis Sitras
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-06-01
Series:Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14351
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author Kjell Åsmund Blix Salvesen
Ragnhild Glad
Vasilis Sitras
author_facet Kjell Åsmund Blix Salvesen
Ragnhild Glad
Vasilis Sitras
author_sort Kjell Åsmund Blix Salvesen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Women's autonomy and an inclusive society for all individuals are highly valued in Norway. The Norwegian Biotechnology Act changed in 2020 allowing first‐trimester screening and cell‐free DNA for common trisomies to all pregnant women. However, implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in a public antenatal care program is difficult, because many patients, politicians, and medical professionals do not consider trisomy 21 a severe medical disease. Screening for trisomies at an early gestation might inevitably lead to an increase in pregnancy terminations and making cost–benefit calculations is ethically challenging. Moreover, offering NIPT to all pregnant women is debatable because of the lower prevalence of fetal trisomies in younger women. Therefore, appropriate genetic pre‐test counseling is essential. Furthermore, organizing the service between private institutions and public hospitals poses another debate and challenges both quality and equal access to health services for women across the country.
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publishDate 2022-06-01
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series Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
spelling doaj-art-0ca598ca08704a1db0e49a6845e3a2b62025-08-20T03:30:57ZengWileyActa Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica0001-63491600-04122022-06-01101657758010.1111/aogs.14351Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care programKjell Åsmund Blix Salvesen0Ragnhild Glad1Vasilis Sitras2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital Trondheim NorwayDepartment of Medical Genetics University Hospital of North Norway Tromsø NorwayDepartment of Fetal Medicine Oslo University Hospital Oslo NorwayAbstract Women's autonomy and an inclusive society for all individuals are highly valued in Norway. The Norwegian Biotechnology Act changed in 2020 allowing first‐trimester screening and cell‐free DNA for common trisomies to all pregnant women. However, implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in a public antenatal care program is difficult, because many patients, politicians, and medical professionals do not consider trisomy 21 a severe medical disease. Screening for trisomies at an early gestation might inevitably lead to an increase in pregnancy terminations and making cost–benefit calculations is ethically challenging. Moreover, offering NIPT to all pregnant women is debatable because of the lower prevalence of fetal trisomies in younger women. Therefore, appropriate genetic pre‐test counseling is essential. Furthermore, organizing the service between private institutions and public hospitals poses another debate and challenges both quality and equal access to health services for women across the country.https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14351cell‐free DNA screeningnon‐invasive prenatal testingNorwayprenatal screeningpublic antenatal care
spellingShingle Kjell Åsmund Blix Salvesen
Ragnhild Glad
Vasilis Sitras
Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
cell‐free DNA screening
non‐invasive prenatal testing
Norway
prenatal screening
public antenatal care
title Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program
title_full Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program
title_fullStr Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program
title_full_unstemmed Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program
title_short Controversies in implementing non‐invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program
title_sort controversies in implementing non invasive prenatal testing in a public antenatal care program
topic cell‐free DNA screening
non‐invasive prenatal testing
Norway
prenatal screening
public antenatal care
url https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14351
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AT vasilissitras controversiesinimplementingnoninvasiveprenataltestinginapublicantenatalcareprogram