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Routine antenatal screening: not a case of informed choice
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
|June 1, 1997
Summary
Routine antenatal screening achieves high use but can compromise informed choice. New criteria are needed to evaluate best practices, considering social and ethical impacts on women.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Women's Health
Background:
- Traditional epidemiological criteria are insufficient for evaluating antenatal screening effectiveness.
- Assessing screening programs requires understanding patient perspectives and broader implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate routine antenatal screening from women's perspectives.
- To examine the role of informed choice in antenatal screening.
- To identify factors beyond traditional metrics for assessing screening best practice.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 376 women in the postnatal period.
- 21 semistructured interviews conducted.
- Qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
Main Results:
- Routine 'opt-out' screening increased usage but reduced informed choice for some.
- Significant disparities in information delivery and perception existed between public and private patients.
- Current evaluation methods do not capture the full impact on women.
Conclusions:
- New criteria are essential for evaluating antenatal screening best practice.
- Evaluation must include social and ethical considerations for women.
- Informed choice and equitable information delivery are critical components of effective screening programs.