Having a screening test during pregnancy can be a difficult time. How do you deal with unexpected results?
Around 600,000 women become pregnant each year, and every woman will be offered several types of screening. Some screen the mother for certain infections, such as sexually transmitted infections and rubella; others screen the unborn baby for conditions such as sickle cell and thalassaemia blood disorders, Down’s syndrome and structural abnormalities.
In pregnancy, most screening results give the mother and unborn child the all clear, but around one out of every 100 pregnancies screened are found to have a problem of some kind. When this happens there's always support available for parents, whether it’s from the medical profession or particular support groups. It's important that parents are given as much information and help as soon as possible.
It should be remembered that screening tests do not always identify problems and some may be missed.
When you're told that there may be a problem with your unborn baby, you may feel any number of different emotions, such as feeling alone, angry or scared. You may think that nobody will understand exactly what you’re going through and may even blame yourself, your partner or the doctors for the results. “This is a normal reaction to bad news,” says Pat Ward, programme director for the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme. You may feel sadness at the loss of your hopes for a healthy baby, and confusion about how to proceed with your pregnancy. Professional support is available to help you cope with these decisions and feelings.
How will I be told the results?
Most results will be reassuring and you may receive them in the post or by phone. Your midwife will probably have discussed with you how you’d like to receive your results. Sometimes your doctor or midwife may invite you into the surgery or hospital to discuss the results with you. In this case it's a good idea to take your partner or a friend with you for support and to help listen and remember what was said.
Your midwife or doctor will explain what the test results mean, discuss what your choices and options are, and either refer you to a specialist for further testing or advise on the next steps that need to be taken. In cases where the screening test suggests a higher risk of a problem with the baby you'll also be asked whether you would like to speak to a specialist doctor or midwife, or be put in touch with other specialist health professionals or support groups. The midwife will arrange this for you.
How can I prepare for my test results?
Nothing can fully prepare you for receiving what may be worrying news, but the more information you have, the easier it will be to understand what your doctor or midwife is telling you. Read as much about the test as possible before you're screened. Give yourself plenty of time to understand the information so that you can ask your doctor or midwife questions about the possible results.
If you have to meet with your midwife or doctor about the results, write down a list of questions you need answering: “Don’t worry if you think the questions are silly, if you’re worried about it, then your doctor or midwife is there to help answer your queries,” says Pat Ward. The most important thing is to remember that there is as much support available as you need, so don’t feel afraid to ask for it.
