Development and Evaluation of a Decision Aid About Prenatal Testing for Women of Advanced Maternal Age

Objective:To develop and evaluate a decision aid designed to prepare patients of advanced maternal age for counseling about prenatal diagnostic testing.Setting:A regional genetics center.Design:A before/after study.Interventions:Participants used an audioguided workbook to learn about options and outcomes and to clarify personal risks, values, questions, and predispositions.Subjects:21 women of advanced maternal age and 17 spouses.Main outcome measures:Knowledge of prenatal testing alternatives, decisional conflict, level of anxiety, and acceptability of the decision aid.Results:After using the decision aid, participants had significantly reduced decisional conflict (uncertainty) and a significant increase in knowledge. There was no effect on state or trait anxiety. More than three-quarters of participants were satisfied with the length, clarity, balance, and acceptability of the decision aid.Conclusions:The decision aid shows promise as a useful aid for preparing couples for counseling.

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