Ontario Maternal Serum Screening Program

 
Table 3: Respondents' opinions on what they disliked about MSS*
  Group; no. (and %) of respondents
Opinion Family physicians n = 394 Obstetricians n = 124 Midwives n = 30
Has high false-positive rate 172(44)60(48)9(30)
Causes anxiety 111(28)30(24)6(20)
Is complex (hard to explain, hard to understand, difficult to communicate concept of screening test and risk)43(11)12(10)1(3)
Raises timing issues (is performed late in pregnancy, is arranged in small window of time) 36(9)11(9)3(10)
Is not cost-effective 36(9)9(7)1(3)
Involves extra time to be spent counselling and filling in requisitions 34(9)11(9)0 
Raises ethical issues37(9)1(1) 7(23)
Involves increased use of ultrasound31(8) 5(4)4(13)
Has high false-negative rate (gives illusion that negative result means normal baby, detects only 70% of babies with Down syndrome) 12(3)3(2)2(7)
Does not give results soon enough 7(2)2(2)0 
Offers inadequate payment for time spent counselling 8(2)1(1)0 
Other† 43(11)22(18)4(13)
*Multiple responses were possible.
†Includes the following: "loss of normal babies with amniocentesis," "too disease oriented" and "increased amniocentesis in women under 35."

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| CMAJ March 15, 1997 (vol 156, no 6) / JAMC le 15 mars 1997 (vol 156, no 6) |
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