The effects of prenatal group genetic counselling on knowledge, anxiety and decisional conflict: issues for nuchal translucency screening

Abstract
This study evaluates the effects of prenatal genetic group counselling on women's anxiety, decisional conflict and levels of knowledge. Participants ( N =271) were aged 35 years and older. ANOVA results indicated that pre/postcounselling scores for anxiety did not change significantly, while decisional conflict decreased significantly ( P <0·001). Pre/postcounselling scores on two different knowledge measures were analysed using 2 2 3 mixed ANOVAs for time by highest level of education and by having discussed prenatal diagnosis with one's health care provider. No potential interactions were statistically significant; time alone had a strong significant effect for both knowledge measures ( P <0·01); P <0·01, respectively), suggesting that the effects of the counselling intervention were robust. Group genetic counselling is an effective method for education and decision support in the prenatal context, and may serve as a model for other clinical populations facing genetic screening decisions.

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