Ontario Maternal Serum Screening Program

 
Table 5: Respondents' suggestions for changing the MSS program*
  Group; no. (and %) of respondents
Suggestion Family physicians n = 188 Obstetricians n = 68 Midwives n = 11
Offer to select group of women only (i.e., those at high risk) 49(26)9(13)1(9)
Decrease false-positive rate33(18)12 (18)1(9)
Offer only to women > 35 yr23(12) 6(9)2(18)
Ensure cost-effectiveness9(5) 14(21)0 
Improve patient information (explain screening and risk prediction, increase public awareness, develop educational videotape) 18(10)4(6)1(9)
Make offering the test elective 21(11)2(3)0 
Change timing of test (make it earlier, shorten time to get results and thus allow earlier amniocentesis) 8(4)5(7)3(27)
Offer financial compensation to providers for counselling 9(5)3(4)0 
Have women pay for test10(5)2 (3)0 
Fund differently from global health budget 7(4)4(6)0 
Improve health care provider information 7(4)1(1)0 
Other‡ 42(22)19(28)5(45)
*Multiple responses are possible.
†Although 62 obstetricians indicated that the MSS program should be changed, 68 offered suggestions.
‡Includes the following: "exclude Down syndrome," "mention abortion," "need guidelines for women over 35" and "no routine dating ultrasound."

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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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