Presentation of Screen Negative Results on Serum Screening for Down's Syndrome: Variations across Britain

Abstract

Objectives— To document current practice of communicating screen negative results to pregnant women undergoing a test for Down's syndrome. Setting— 169 British NHS hospital antenatal clinics currently offering multiple marker serum screening for Down's syndrome and giving results directly to women. Methods— All 169 clinics were sent a letter asking about the method and form of communicating screen negative results. Results— In only 29% of programmes were specific arrangements made to inform women of screen negative results, and in 5% these results were not given at all. Screen negative results were given as a verbal phrase in 44% of programmes, as a risk figure in 16% of programmes and as both in 40% of programmes. Conclusions— These results highlight a gap between screening policy guidelines and practice in the case of Down's syndrome serum screening.