Effectiveness of alternative prenatal genetic counselling methods in a cohort of pregnant women from a low socio-economic population.

BACKGROUND

There are concerns about the capacity of healthcare providers to adequately counsel women on the implications of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS). Studies suggest that more resource-efficient counselling methods are needed for broad adoption.

AIMS: We prospectively examined the effectiveness of alternative methods of prenatal counselling on a patient's knowledge and understanding of prenatal testing choices, with a focus on NIPS. We also evaluated prenatal test choice and emotional well-being after making this decision.

METHODS

Women from a low socio-economic population were offered NIPS at no additional cost along with typical prenatal screening and diagnosis. Study participants underwent prenatal counselling via a web-based video consultation or a telephone consultation with a genetic counsellor. Participants were asked to complete pre-counselling and post-counselling questionnaires.

RESULTS

Of 1000 women enrolled, 600 completed both surveys in full and were included in the analysis. Of these, 354 (59%) underwent counselling via a telephone consultation and 246 (41%) via the web-based video consultation. Both counselling methods led to a significant increase in patient knowledge (P < 0.01). NIPS uptake was equivalent between groups. Patients expressed a high level (90%) of satisfaction with their prenatal screen choice, with no significant difference (P > 0.10) between telephone and web participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Alternative methods of counselling such as a web-based education portal can be highly effective and should be considered to enable informed decision-making prior to undergoing prenatal screening such as NIPS. Further, web-based education tools could be beneficial for those in rural areas with limited access to healthcare providers and non-native speakers.