OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact on maternal anxiety of detecting a soft marker, and the association between anxiety and the information given during the scan. METHODS: Routine 20-week fetal anomaly scans were audiotaped in the obstetric ultrasound unit of a London teaching hospital, across a four month study period. The study sample comprised 28 pregnant women: 14 in whom a soft marker was detected and a comparison group of 14 women in whom no marker was identified. Telephone interviews were conducted within one week of the scan, at 30 weeks' gestation, and one month after the birth of their children. The main outcome was anxiety, assessed using a standardized scale. Information provided during the scan was coded from transcripts. RESULTS: In the week following the scan, women with soft markers had clinically significant levels of anxiety. At 30 weeks' gestation and one month post-partum their levels were within the normal range. Women who were told during their scan that their baby would probably be all right, compared with women not told this, were significantly less anxious and worried about their baby. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this small longitudinal study suggest that the detection of soft markers on routine prenatal ultrasound causes considerable short-term anxiety for women and that providing reassurance during the scan may prevent some of this anxiety. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact on maternal anxiety of detecting a soft marker, and the association between anxiety and the information given during the scan. METHODS: Routine 20-week fetal anomaly scans were audiotaped in the obstetric ultrasound unit of a London teaching hospital, across a four month study period. The study sample comprised 28 pregnant women: 14 in whom a soft marker was detected and a comparison group of 14 women in whom no marker was identified. Telephone interviews were conducted within one week of the scan, at 30 weeks' gestation, and one month after the birth of their children. The main outcome was anxiety, assessed using a standardized scale. Information provided during the scan was coded from transcripts. RESULTS: In the week following the scan, women with soft markers had clinically significant levels of anxiety. At 30 weeks' gestation and one month post-partum their levels were within the normal range. Women who were told during their scan that their baby would probably be all right, compared with women not told this, were significantly less anxious and worried about their baby. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this small longitudinal study suggest that the detection of soft markers on routine prenatal ultrasound causes considerable short-term anxiety for women and that providing reassurance during the scan may prevent some of this anxiety. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Authors: Sylvie Viaux-Savelon; Marc Dommergues; Ouriel Rosenblum; Nicolas Bodeau; Elizabeth Aidane; Odile Philippon; Philippe Mazet; Claude Vibert-Guigue; Danièle Vauthier-Brouzes; Ruth Feldman; David Cohen Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-01-23 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Cate Nagle; Sharon Lewis; Bettina Meiser; Jane Gunn; Jane Halliday; Robin Bell Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2008-05-28 Impact factor: 2.655