Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Emergent ethical dilemmas confronting pregnant women
with regard to antenatal screening for Down syndrome.
Authors: Bernie Reid, MSc PgCertTHE BSc(Hons) RGN RM RPHN,
PhD Student, Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster.
Telephone: 02871375756
e-mail: reid-b@ulster.ac.uk
Professor Marlene Sinclair, BSc PhD RN RM RNT DASE Med,
Professor of Midwifery Research, Institute of Nursing Research,
University of Ulster.
Dr Owen Barr, PhD MSc BSc(Hons) RGN RNMH CNMH RNT, Senior
Lecturer, Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster.
Professor Frank Dobbs, MB BA(Mod) MD FRCP, Institute of
Postgraduate Medicine and Primary Care, University of Ulster.
Dr Grainne Crealey, PhD MSc(Finance) BSc(Economics), Health
Economist, Clinical Research Support Centre, Royal Belfast
Hospitals.
Background: In the United Kingdom there is an increasing policy
trend towards universal antenatal screening for Down syndrome.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (2003) has proposed
that, by 2007, all pregnant women should be offered screening. In
Northern Ireland, it has been proposed that all pregnant women
should be offered second trimester screening (National Screening
Committee 2006).
The momentum towards universal screening is primarily driven by
initiatives from government, sectors of the medical profession and
the medical supply industry. Yet the interests of pregnant women
have been largely disregarded despite the potential for ethical
dilemmas to emerge as a direct result of the premature
universalisation of screening.
Aim of review: This paper presents a systematic literature review
aimed at identifying some of emergent ethical dilemmas confronting
pregnant women with regard to screening.
Review methodology: Thirteen databases were searched with the
medical subject heading (MeSH) keywords ‘ethical dilemmas/ethics’
combined with ‘antenatal/prenatal screening/testing’ and ‘pregnant
women/women’.
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