Sociodemographic and attitudinal predictors of simultaneous and redundant multiple marker and cell-free DNA screening among women aged 35 years and older

OBJECTIVE: To identify characteristics associated with undergoing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and multiple marker screening (MMS) simultaneously or redundantly (after receiving negative results from the first screening test) among women aged 35 and older. STUDY DESIGN: Participants presenting for prenatal testing completed a questionnaire which included measures of pregnancy worry and attitudes toward potential testing outcomes; data on prenatal test use was obtained via medical record review. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with redundant or simultaneous screening. RESULT: Among 164 participants, 69 (42.1%) had cfDNA redundantly (n=51) to, or simultaneously (n=18) with, MMS. Compared to the 46 MMS-negative women who did not undergo further testing, those who underwent redundant or simultaneous cfDNA/MMS screening were more likely to have annual family incomes >$150,000, to feel having a miscarriage would be worse than having an intellectually disabled child, to desire comprehensive testing for intellectual disability, and to have more pregnancy worry. CONCLUSION: Providers who counsel patients on prenatal aneuploidy screening tests should explain the appropriate utilization of these screening tests to avoid unnecessary or minimally informative use of multiple tests.