Early Test Results Reduce Maternal Anxiety

January 27, 2007 – 10:05 pm | posted in Pregnancy

New research published by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme suggests that providing early results from a partial but rapid test helps to reduce the anxiety pregnant women feel while waiting for the full results of amniocentesis.

Amniocentesis, where a sample of amniotic fluid is drawn, is the most common prenatal diagnostic procedure undertaken in the UK, providing an important way of finding out whether a baby may be affected by a chromosomal abnormality such as Down’s Syndrome, while inside the womb. Following amniocentesis, the cells that have been obtained are cultured for two-four weeks before undergoing a full karyotype analysis. The more rapid tests (FISH and PCR) can be done before the cells are cultured, with results in three or four days, but these only detect the most common structural chromosomal abnormalities.

The ARIA trial, led by Professor Jenny Hewison of the University of Leeds, involved 226 women across 12 hospitals in England. The research team aimed to find out whether issuing early partial results from the rapid tests alters maternal anxiety during the waiting period following amniocentesis, compared with waiting until full results are available. The team also investigated whether giving results out on a fixed date altered the level of anxiety patients felt during the waiting period compared with a policy of telling them that the result would be issued as soon as available.

Researchers found that women who received early results were significantly less anxious while waiting for their full test results than women who had not. There was no evidence that giving out results on a fixed or on a variable date altered maternal anxiety during the waiting period.

“Many pregnant women experience anxiety while waiting for the results of diagnostic tests, particularly amniocentesis tests for Down’s syndrome, but little research has been carried out into the best policies and practices for reducing this anxiety,” says Professor Hewison. “Our research suggests that rapid testing may be beneficial when offered to women in addition to karyotyping. Since there are no clear advantages of issuing results as soon as they become available rather than on a fixed date, women could be given a choice.”

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