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. 2010 Jun;30(6):575-81.
doi: 10.1002/pd.2529.

Invasive prenatal testing decisions in pregnancy after infertility

Colleen Caleshu  1 , Shoshana Shiloh, Cristofer Price, Julie Sapp, Barbara Biesecker
Affiliations

Invasive prenatal testing decisions in pregnancy after infertility

Colleen Caleshu et al. Prenat Diagn. 2010 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: This study assessed decisional conflict about invasive prenatal testing among women pregnant after infertility.

Methods: We surveyed 180 pregnant women with a history of infertility using a mixed methods cross-sectional design. Difficulty in deciding whether to have prenatal testing was measured using the Decisional Conflict Scale.

Results: A minority of women (31%) chose to have invasive prenatal testing. Most participants (72%) reported low decisional conflict (score < 25; mean = 22.1; standard deviation = 23.2; range: 0-100). Half (53%) of the participants said that infertility made the testing decision easier. Qualitative data suggest that infertility makes the decision easier by clarifying relevant values and priorities. Most infertility characteristics studied were not significantly associated with decisional conflict. Variables associated with higher decisional conflict included infertility distress due to rejection of a childfree lifestyle, disagreement with others about testing, and choosing to have invasive testing after having had treatment for infertility.

Conclusions: For some women, infertility may make the invasive prenatal testing decision easier. Women with the greatest need for decisional support were those who have had treatment and choose invasive testing, who disagree with others about their testing choice, or who are particularly distressed about being childless.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relationship between infertility treatment and decisional conflict, modified by test choice
Figure 2
Figure 2
Interaction between subjective norms and test choice: relationship between decisional conflict and perceived disagreement with test choice by husband/partner. *p-Value for interaction between test choice and subjective norms; † Lower subjective norm scores represent a perception that husband/partner does not want the participant to have prenatal testing and/or the participant is not motivated to comply with that opinion. Higher scores indicate that the participant perceives the husband/partner wants her to have prenatal testing and she is motivated to comply with that opinion
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