Non-invasive prenatal screening for trisomy 21: what women want and are willing to pay.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the attitude among pregnant women regarding non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for detecting trisomy 21 (T21) and to quantify their willingness to pay for NIPT.

METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to pregnant women who received counselling for first-trimester screening (FTS) in two hospitals and nine midwife practices in the Netherlands.

RESULTS: A total of 147 women completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 43%. If NIPT for detecting T21 were available, 81% stated they would choose to have this test, and 57% of women who elected not to undergo FTS in their current pregnancy would perform NIPT if available. Willingness to pay for NIPT was correlated with age and income, but not education level. The price that participants were willing to pay for NIPT was similar to the current price for FTS.

CONCLUSION: The pregnant women in our study had a positive attitude regarding NIPT for T21, and more than half of the women who rejected prenatal screening would receive NIPT if available.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Due to the elimination of iatrogenic miscarriage, caregivers should be aware that informed decision-making can change with respect to prenatal screening with the introduction of NIPT.