Public viewpoints on new non-invasive prenatal genetic tests

Prenatal screening programmes have been critiqued for their routine implementation according to clinical rationale without public debate. A new approach, non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD), promises diagnosis of fetal genetic disorders from a sample of maternal blood without the miscarriage risk...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Public understanding of science (Bristol, England) England), 2013-08, Vol.22 (6), p.730-744
Main Authors: Farrimond, Hannah R., Kelly, Susan E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blood
Disabled
Discriminant analysis
Discrimination
Factor analysis
Genetic disorders
Genetics
Men
Miscarriage
Pregnancy
Prenatal care
Risk
Technology
United Kingdom
Women
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Summary:Prenatal screening programmes have been critiqued for their routine implementation according to clinical rationale without public debate. A new approach, non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD), promises diagnosis of fetal genetic disorders from a sample of maternal blood without the miscarriage risk of current invasive prenatal tests (e.g. amniocentesis). Little research has investigated the attitudes of wider publics to NIPD. This study used Q-methodology, which combines factor analysis with qualitative comments, to identify four distinct “viewpoints” amongst 71 UK men and women: 1. NIPD as a new tool in the ongoing societal discrimination against the disabled; 2. NIPD as a positive clinical application offering peace of mind in pregnancy; 3. NIPD as a medical option justified for severe disorders only; and 4. NIPD as a valid expansion of personal choice. Concerns included the “trivialisation of testing” and the implications of commercial/direct-to-consumer tests. Q-methodology has considerable potential to identify viewpoints and frame public debate about new technologies.
ISSN:0963-6625
1361-6609
DOI:10.1177/0963662511424359