Parental views of antenatal testing and termination following a diagnosis of cleft lip.
Fetal anomaly screening at 18-21 weeks now routinely includes cleft lip. If detected, the manner in which the diagnosis is communicated can considerably influence prospective parents' decision-making in regard to further testing and termination of pregnancy (TOP). Given the known psychological impact of an antenatal diagnosis of cleft lip on prospective parents, this study aimed to explore the decision-making process from the parents' perspective, in order to evaluate how well current practice is meeting guidelines. Data from 217 parents of children born with cleft lip (with or without cleft palate) were collected using a mixed-methods online survey. Respondents reported feeling upset, offended and/or anxious following the diagnosis, due to unsatisfactory information and a perceived lack of empathy from health professionals. Some respondents had felt under pressure to make a decision quickly, with a minority having regretted undergoing amniocentesis, and/or experiencing significant distress at having come close to TOP unnecessarily. A number of suggestions are made as to how the discussion between parents and health professionals could be improved, to ensure that the information and support needs of families affected by cleft lip are fully addressed.
['Stock|Nicola Marie|NM|0000-0002-1285-691X', 'Costa|Bruna|B|', 'Williams|Jenny|J|', 'Martindale|Anna|A|', 'At The Centre For Appearance Research|The Vtct Foundation Research Team|TVFRT|']
D000028:Abortion, Induced D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D002971:Cleft Lip D003657:Decision Making D004739:England D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008403:Mass Screening D008875:Middle Aged D010290:Parents D011247:Pregnancy D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis D011446:Prospective Studies D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D055815:Young Adult
termination Diagnosis cleft lip pregnancy amniocentesis parent perspective sonography ultrasound