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Antenatal screening
In this section you can find out about the experience of antenatal screening (for various conditions) by seeing and hearing people share their personal stories...
Screening in pregnancy is a way of checking whether the fetus (unborn baby) has a health condition. The screening tests offered in pregnancy are either ultrasound scans or blood tests, or a combination of both.
Most people will be told that the chance of their baby having a health condition is very low. Parents we spoke to found this reassuring.
Screening is often seen as routine and parents told us that they did not think about it much beforehand. Some felt it was presented to them just as something everyone did, rather than something they had to make an active choice about. One woman explained she was happy with this approach because she trusted medical advice.
Others felt that looking back, maybe more explanation and discussion would have been helpful. Many felt they had been given good information, and that there was a real choice to be made.
(See also Reasons for not having some or all screening and Attitudes to disability and termination).
Most people were aware that screening was looking for conditions such as Downs syndrome or spina bifida. Many did not expect their screening results to show a high chance of this. One woman in her first pregnancy felt screening at various points had also helped divide the pregnancy into reassuring stages.
Some parents had talked about what to do if results showed their baby had a high chance of having a health condition, for example having further tests or ending the pregnancy. Some people waited until after their results to make a decision.
One woman said that screening could take you from one decision to another. People felt that they might react differently when faced with a particular result.
Screening gives you information about the chance of the baby having a condition. Diagnostic tests can give you more definite answers. A woman talked to us about the difference between the two.
(See also Discussing screening choices with your partner and Attitudes to disability and termination).
There were many comments about how scans have become an important part of pregnancy. The chance to see the baby and have a photograph to show friends and family is a major reason for people deciding to have scans. For men, scans can be especially emotional and happy experiences. It makes the baby and becoming a parent seem real.
Scans can make pregnancy seem more real for women too. They have not usually felt the baby move before they have their scans. A woman expecting twins after fertility treatment described her feelings on seeing the two babies at a 6 week scan. She was reassured they were alive and doing well.
One woman said she knew the photos aren’t the main purpose. Another said people should think carefully about why they are going.
A few people we talked to had been worried about their screening results. Some had experience of a miscarriage or knew children with particular health conditions. Others had a family history of disabilities (See also Special reasons for wanting screening).
People were more aware of ultrasound scans than blood test screening, which is used to test for conditions such as beta thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia.
We spoke to some people whose results showed a high chance of their baby having a condition. This news was unexpected.
In this section you can find out about the experience of antenatal screening (for various conditions) by seeing and hearing people share their personal stories...
Special reasons for having a scan include: A family history of health conditions that scans can pick up Previous pregnancy-loss (miscarriage) Family history Three women...