The impact of prenatal genetic testing on quality of life in women.

The techniques of prenatal genetic diagnosis are being used with increasing frequency in the provision of prenatal care. One aim of such testing is to benefit pregnant women. Inadequate data exist, however, to indicate whether testing provides benefits for or imposes burdens upon the women involved. The influence of testing on anxiety during pregnancy, on a woman's sense of control over the progress and outcome of pregnancy, and on a woman's relationships with her partner and future child are all of concern. Investigation of these questions should be integral to studies undertaken to assess prenatal genetic testing.