J Pediatr Genet 2017; 06(03): 149-154
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1600131
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Attitude toward Prenatal Testing and Termination of Pregnancy among Health Professionals and Medical Students in Saudi Arabia

Nagwa E. A. Gaboon
1   Division of Medicine, Department of Genetic Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2   Division of Medicine, Medical Genetic Center, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
,
Khadijah H. Bakur
1   Division of Medicine, Department of Genetic Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
3   Princess Al-Jawhara Al-Brahim Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
,
Alaa Y. Edrees
3   Princess Al-Jawhara Al-Brahim Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
,
Jumana Y. Al-Aama
1   Division of Medicine, Department of Genetic Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
3   Princess Al-Jawhara Al-Brahim Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

16 November 2016

01 February 2017

Publication Date:
16 March 2017 (online)

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Abstract

This study was aimed at assessing the attitude of health care professionals in Jeddah city toward prenatal diagnosis (PND) and termination of pregnancy (TOP). A cross-sectional study was conducted, and the participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. Approximately 82% of participants showed a consistent trend of accepting PND when appropriate, and 47.5% of the respondents were in favor of TOP if the fetus had a severe disease. Compared with men (69.3%), a significantly greater number of women (88%) accepted to have PND. The most acceptable prenatal diagnostic tests in the study were invasive techniques as most of the participants thought that noninvasive tests were nonspecific.