Uptake of amniocentesis in women aged 38 years or more by the time of the expected date of delivery: a two-year retrospective study.

The uptake of amniocentesis for the prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities in older women (greater than or equal to 38 years by the time of the expected date of delivery) is reviewed over a 2-year period. Overall, 41.3% of women were not tested, including a group of 7% in whom no record of discussion of prenatal diagnosis could be found on review of obstetric records. Refusal of the offer of amniocentesis and late booking were significantly greater in Asian women (P less than 0.01). One-third of chromosomally-abnormal infants were not detected antenatally in the study group.