Now women who have the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) are informed about the chromosomal abnormalities that indicate Down, Edwards or Patau. Other chromosomal abnormalities are not automatically listed.
Choice until April 1
Until April 1, women can choose whether they want to be informed about this. According to the Health Council, approximately 80 percent already opt for this. An investigation phase into this will end on 1 April. If the NIPT is offered to pregnant women as standard after that date, then this choice should no longer be available and everyone should be informed about this, the Health Council believes.
The committee that issues the advice assumes that pregnant women who opt for NIPT do so because they want to know whether the fetus may have a serious chromosome abnormality. According to the Health Council, it does not matter on which chromosome the abnormality is located. In addition, the choice between whether or not to tell about those other deviations would lead to ‘implementation differences’ and, according to the council, makes the decision whether or not to participate ‘even more complex than it already is’.
‘Keep simple’
Another reason to keep it ‘simple’ and communicate all serious deviations is that it makes the provision of information more accessible and understandable. According to the Health Council, information should therefore be provided about possible malignant disorders in pregnant women, such as certain forms of cancer that can be detected by the test.
The Council wants to make an exception for a category of disorders: rare abnormalities that mean little should not be included in the results. According to the Health Council, in most cases follow-up research shows that only the placenta is affected.
The minister has yet to decide whether to adopt the advice of the Health Council. Usually that is the case.
