[Ethics in the communication of down syndrome diagnosis]

Down Syndrome diagnosis communication has got serious ethical implications, since the aim thereof can be either eugenic or therapeutic. The purpose of this paper is, on the one hand, to highlight the fundamental role which sanitary proffesionals play in diagnosis communication and the subsequent decission of the mother. On the other, recommendations on the way to communicate a diagnosis are set out. Finally, in order to analize the state of play in Spain the results of a cross-sectional descriptive study with a sample of 352 mothers are exposed. In this study the mothers express, by means of a survey, their personal experiencies of how they have received the news. It is concluded that the communication of Down syndrome diagnosis can be improved in many aspects.