Antenatal care in the 1990s has six functions (box). The first two are the same as any performed in an outpatient clinic (treatment of symptoms); the second two relate to multiphasic screening of which antenatal care was an early example; and the third pair are part of health education. Antenatal care in the United Kingdom is performed by a range of professionals-midwives, general practitioners...

In the Netherlands, non-Western ethnic minority women make their first antenatal visit later than native Dutch women. Timely entry into antenatal care is important as it provides the opportunity for prenatal screening and the detection of risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this study we explored whether women's timely entry is influenced by their neighborhood. Moreover, we assessed...

Many people object to preimplantation or prenatal screening for disability on the grounds that it is discriminatory, has pernicious effects on the lives of existing disabled people, expresses a hurtful view of disabled people, and reduces human diversity. I argue that if these objections are held to be strong enough to show that screening is wrong, they must also imply the permissibility of cau...

BACKGROUND Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is an important component of national HIV programs, which are necessary to realize the right to health. VCT data also provide valuable information on regional HIV epidemiology. METHODS The study examines data on the population that obtained HIV VCT in Kenema District, Sierra Leone, from 2004 to 2006, using descriptive statistics and exploring...

BACKGROUND Bilateral pulmonary agenesis is a rare congenital anomaly incompatible with life that can be missed on routine prenatal screening. Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of this fatal anomaly can aid in prenatal counseling and postdelivery care. CASE STUDY We report the case of a newborn who was born prematurely at 29 weeks gestation and underwent several unsuccessful intubation attempts im...

Discovery of cell free fetal DNA in 1997 has deeply changed the outlook of prenatal diagnosis approaches as most of the clinically established screening tests are not sensitive/specific enough while the current practical diagnostic tests are also invasive in their nature. The most common prenatal screening test is routinely practiced for the diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS) which includes a 10% ...

Autosomal recessive conditions are a significant health burden with few treatments. Population carrier screening has been suggested as a means to tackle them. Little is known about the views of affected families despite the potential for direct impacts on them. Data are presented on attitudes among families affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) toward two population screening programs, pre-...

Japan, known as a pro-choice country in terms of abortion, is currently facing the increase of “selective abortions” thanks to new prenatal screening. Efforts to restrict proliferation of new technology has not been successful and it is likely that Japan will turn pro-life by strictly enforcing the Maternity Protection Act (MPA), which prohibits abortions due to “fetal cause”.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the cost effectiveness of different antenatal screening programmes for cystic fibrosis. SETTING Antenatal clinics and general practices in the United Kingdom. DESIGN Four components of the screening process were identified: information giving, DNA testing, genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis. The component costs were derived from the literature and from a pilot...