Parental level of anxiety, sense of coherence and state of mind when choroid plexus cysts have been identified at a routine ultrasound examination in the second trimester of pregnancy: a case control study.

The aim of the study was to compare parents' experience of a routine ultrasound examination in the second trimester, when a choroid plexus cyst/cysts (CPC) were found (Study group; n = 22), with matched controls where no fetal deviations were identified (Control group, n = 66). All the parents had participated in a larger cohort study. The instruments used for measuring anxiety were STAI-state/trait, sense of coherence (SOC) and Parents' Expectations, Experiences, Reactions to an Ultrasound examination during pregnancy (PEER-U, State of Mind Index). Regarding the SOC and STAI-state/trait no significant differences were found between the cases and controls or within the respective group before and after the ultrasound examination. The cases had an increase in anxiety (more anxious) as measured by the instrument PEER-U after the examination, while the controls showed a significant better level of State of Mind Index (less anxious) after the examination, compared to before. Therefore PEER-U can be a more reliable instrument when studying state of mind (anxiety) in connection with ultrasound examinations, and as it is specific for this situation it does not appear to be time dependent.