Preimplantation diagnosis or chorionic villus biopsy? Women's attitudes and preferences

Abstract

The objective of this work was to assess women's attitudes and preferences to two methods of prenatal diagnosis for genetic disease: embryo and chorionic villus biopsy (CVS). The design involved a structured postal questionnaire sent to women in the Grampian region with different reproductive experiences. The population sample included 46 women who had had genetic counselling because of a family history of a single gene disorder, 18 women who had had CVS for a single gene disorder, 158 women who had had CVS for other reasons, 200 women who had recently delivered a normal baby and 50 women who had experience of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The main outcome measures were attitudes to family limitation, prenatal diagnosis, termination for fetal abnormality, embryo biopsy and CVS. Of the women surveyed, 38% preferred embryo diagnosis, whereas 42% favoured CVS and termination. Women with previous experience of CVS preferred this option whereas those with experience of IVF as infertility treatment were more likely to favour embryo diagnosis, as were women who had had genetic counselling for a single gene disorder. It was concluded that a substantial number of women find embryo diagnosis more acceptable than CVS when the pregnancy is at high risk. This is especially true amongst those with experience of IVF or who are at risk themselves. A demand for embryo diagnosis has been demonstrated.