Termination of pregnancy following a Down Syndrome diagnosis: decision-making process and influential factors in a Muslim but secular country, Turkey.
J Perinat Med
; 49(2): 170-177, 2021 Feb 23.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32920541
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
This study aims to present the termination of pregnancy (TOP) rates and elucidate the decision-making process following a prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 21 in Turkey.METHODS:
This retrospective single-center study was conducted with 146 pregnant women between January 2016 and December 2019 in a tertiary hospital. Data on maternal characteristics, sonographic findings, indications for chromosome analysis, and educational, religious, and economic factors that can influence the parental decision process were collected.RESULTS:
The TOP rate of Down syndrome (DS) in our center was 78.8%. We concluded that maternal age, earlier diagnosis, indication for chromosome analysis, and previous pregnancies had no effect on the TOP decision. On the other hand, not having a minor or a major sonographic sign, employed mothers, middle- and high-income families, and families having a secondary or higher education tended to terminate the pregnancy affected by DS at statistically higher rates.CONCLUSIONS:
There are many studies worldwide investigating the TOP preferences for DS. However, there is limited data about TOP rates and influential factors affecting the decision-making process in Muslim countries. This study contributes by clarifying the factors in the decision-making process and elucidating perspectives about TOP in a Muslim country with a unique status Turkey.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Abortion, Induced
/
Down Syndrome
/
Fetal Diseases
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
J Perinat Med
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Turkey