Diagnosi prenatale:come si può favorire l'autonomia decisionale delle donne? Analisi delle influenze e delle modalità d'informazione

The aim of this study is to search how much women are free in deciding on prenatal diagnosis and, indeed, how they are influenced on their choice. In Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, have been given 420 questionnaires to pregnant women and 156 to their partners. This group has been choose between the couples that already decided to undergo some kind of prenatal exam: villocentesis, amniocentesis or nucal translucency. Results tell us that the main source of information has been their gynaecologist for the 77% of women and at least the 17% underwent the exam because the doctor told them to do so. A great percentage of partners, 96%, are sure to have been somehow influent on the decision, instead only the 63% of women said to have taken their choice with their partner. Midwives are not so much influential. Another group, the 36%, would like to speak with peers, other women that undertook prenatal diagnosis. The favourite method for having information is the personal counseling. Instead slides, videos and brochure is not so much appreciated. Enhancing information about prenatal diagnosis is evidently a need in our society. Women are not so aware of the results they could receive and are not well informed. They are influenced mainly by their doctors that do not explain them widely what they are going to do. Another evidence is the lack of data registered about prenatal exams, especially for screening tests. So we don’t have even the number of women that undergo prenatal diagnosis. Suggestions are to comprehend what is prenatal diagnosis in the curricula of the school teaching and the registration on birth or on abortion data about which kind of prenatal tests women have undergone.