Women’s Concerns and Experiences of Fetal Anomaly Screening Process: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Advanced technologies in antenatal screening provide complex and accurate information about the fetus that allows for early intervention, but it increases pregnant women’s concerns about fetal health. This study aimed to investigate the concerns and experiences of Iranian pregnant women in the fetal anomaly screening process. METHODS: This qualitative study was performed from September 2018 to June 2019 in Tehran, Iran. Twenty pregnant women who referred to prenatal care clinics, four specialists, and two midwives took part in this study. The sampling was done purposefully until data saturation. Qualitative interviews were analyzed using the content analysis approach and Graneheim and Lundman’s method. The MAXQDA 10 was used for data management. RESULTS: The pregnant women who participated in the study were 22-40 years old. The following 4 themes were obtained from the analysis: the challenge of deciding to perform the tests, bitter pregnancy experience, challenges of facing an abortion, and unmet needs of pregnant women by the health system. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that pregnant women need real information and support. Designing and implementing interventions that reduce the psychological impact of performing fetal anomaly screening tests can highlight the potential benefits for pregnant women’s health.