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A Program on Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis of α-Thalassemia in Mainland China: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
Yu Yang1, Dong-Zhi Li2, Ping He1
1a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Guangzhou Women & Children Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong , People's Republic of China.
The aim of the present study was to determine the cost effectiveness of a noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (PND) program for α-thalassemia (α-thal) using ultrasound scan. During a 5-year period, 1923 pregnancies at-risk for homozygous α(0)-thal were recruited into the noninvasive PND program. There were 1452 women who avoided invasive testing because of a normal ultrasound scan. The remaining 471 showed abnormal fetal ultrasonographic findings, and invasive testing was recommended. The overall cost of running the noninvasive PND program was US$213,383, while the cost of running the invasive program would have been US$554,810. The total savings were estimated at US$356,499 for women with an unaffected pregnancy with a net saving of US$246 per capita. This study demonstrated that it is cost effective to run a noninvasive PND program for α-thal in an area where the disease is prevalent, and therefore effectively avoiding an invasive test in unaffected pregnancies.
The aim of the present study was to determine the cost effectiveness of a noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (PND) program for α-thalassemia (α-thal) using ultrasound scan. During a 5-year period, 1923 pregnancies at-risk for homozygous α(0)-thal were recruited into the noninvasive PND program. There were 1452 women who avoided invasive testing because of a normal ultrasound scan. The remaining 471 showed abnormal fetal ultrasonographic findings, and invasive testing was recommended. The overall cost of running the noninvasive PND program was US$213,383, while the cost of running the invasive program would have been US$554,810. The total savings were estimated at US$356,499 for women with an unaffected pregnancy with a net saving of US$246 per capita. This study demonstrated that it is cost effective to run a noninvasive PND program for α-thal in an area where the disease is prevalent, and therefore effectively avoiding an invasive test in unaffected pregnancies.
