Use of eHealth in Communication With Patients About Prenatal Diagnosis

Prenatal screening and diagnosis is testing for diseases or rare conditions in the fetus before birth. The aim is to assist the pregnant women to make their own decisions, and neutral and adequate counseling is a prerequisite during prenatal diagnosis. To make an informed choice, the pregnant women must be informed about the benefits and potential disadvantages of prenatal diagnosis and with this background be able to make a comprehensive evaluation, where ethical values will have a high impact.

The overall purpose of this project is to increase pregnant women's knowledge of prenatal screening for Downs syndrome, and thereby an option to make an informed choice. The project is planned as a research into whether the use of an eHealth solution (in this project an interactive website) may be an appropriate intervention for pregnant women.

Methods:

Part one consists of an identification of the problem

Part two consists of developing a website with relevant information about prenatal screening for Downs syndrome.

Part three is an effect measurement. The effect of the intervention is measured through a randomized controlled trail in which the essentials of the measurement will be the pregnant women's knowledge and behavior in relation to prenatal diagnosis. Twice 300 pregnant women will be included in the project.

Results:

The research aims at generating new knowledge about ways to inform pregnant women about prenatal diagnosis and prenatal screening. The expected results are:

• Higher knowledge about prenatal diagnosis for the pregnant women.
• Less difficulty in making an informed choice for the coming parents.
• Easy access to high quality information.
• Equity in access to high quality information.

Inclusion criteria

• Pregnant women participating in screening for Downs syndorme

Exclusion criteria

• Respondents who do not speak, read and understand Danish.
• Respondents who have opted out of health care services and prenatal diagnosis.
• Reespondenter who do not wish to participate.
• Respondents under 18 years.
• Respondents with a strong suspicion of threatening abortion
• Respondents whom are vulnerable
• Respondents with a late referral