UCSF

Objective

To identify characteristics associated with undergoing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and multiple marker screening (MMS) simultaneously or redundantly (after receiving negative results from the first screening test) among women aged ⩾35 years.

Study design

Participants presenting for prenatal testing completed a questionnaire that included measures of pregnancy worry and attitudes toward potential testing outcomes; data on prenatal test use was obtained via medical record review. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with redundant or simultaneous screening.

Results

Among 164 participants, 69 (42.1%) had cfDNA redundantly (n=51) to, or simultaneously (n=18) with, MMS. Compared with the 46 MMS-negative women who did not undergo further testing, those who underwent redundant or simultaneous cfDNA/MMS screening were more likely to have annual family incomes >$150 000, to feel having a miscarriage would be worse than having an intellectually disabled child, to desire comprehensive testing for intellectual disability and to have more pregnancy worry.

Conclusion

Providers who counsel patients on prenatal aneuploidy screening tests should explain the appropriate utilization of these screening tests to avoid unnecessary or minimally informative use of multiple tests.