The attitudes of midwives to maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome

An anonymous questionnaire was sent to determine the opinions and attitudes of 342 Leicestershire midwives who are responsible for counselling antenatal patients about maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome. This asked questions regarding grade, background training, attitudes towards testing for spina bifida and Down's syndrome, and opinions upon termination of pregnancy for these and other conditions. A total of 188 (55%) midwives completed the questionnaire. In all, 40.4% of midwives admitted that they did not feel confident counselling for the serum screening test for Down's syndrome; 38.3% of midwives did not feel termination of pregnancy for Down's syndrome was justified; 25% of midwives admitted that they were not in favour of this prenatal test. In conclusion, if such a screening programme is to be introduced across the UK, more attention must be paid in advance to the views and training requirements of those midwives who will be associated with the test. It should not be assumed that ethical considerations, relating to a prenatal test, are of minor significance to those health care professionals involved in its implementation.