ResearchObstetricsPrenatally diagnosed fetal conditions in the age of fetal care: does who counsels matter?
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
The research team designed the survey with fieldwork conducted through self-administered mail survey and telephone reminders by Harris Interactive during the period Nov. 13, 2009, through Feb. 5, 2010. The study protocol, and instrument and recruitment materials were approved by the Children's Hospital Boston Clinical Investigation Committee.
Physician and practice characteristics
In all, 242 MFM and 192 FCP specialists completed the survey, yielding response rates of 60.9% and 54.2%, respectively. Table 1 shows physician characteristics. Compared to MFMs, FCPs were younger, more likely male, and more likely to work within nonprofit and/or academic centers.
MFM and FCP respondents did not differ significantly regarding political affiliation (MFM: 36% Democrat, 19% Republican, 31% independent vs 44%, 15%, 27%, respectively, for FCPs), religious affiliation (MFM: 22% Roman
Comment
This study characterized the practices of FCP specialists and MFM specialists and evaluated whether their counseling and recommendations differed for fetal abnormalities. We found significant differences between MFMs and FCPs in their clinical practices and many of their prenatal counseling attitudes. For each congenital condition studied, FCPs and MFMs differed significantly regarding their support for pregnancy termination, and the importance they ascribed to provision of information about
Acknowledgments
Survey review panel. Anne D. Lyerly, MD, Department of Social Medicine and Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina; James M. Perrin, MD, Division of General Pediatrics and Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy; Eric G. Campbell, PhD, Mongan Institute for Health Policy, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Other contributors. Sandra Applebaum, MS, led the fieldwork team from Harris Interactive and provided key assistance throughout this project.
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Additional contributors are listed in the Acknowledgments.
This study was supported by grants from the Greenwall Foundation, the Kornfeld Program in Bioethics and Patient Care, the Harvard University William F. Milton Fund, the American Roentgen Ray Society Leonard Berlin Scholarship in Medical Professionalism, and a Faculty Career Development Award, Office of Faculty Development, Children's Hospital Boston (all to S.D.B.).
The authors report no conflict of interest.
Cite this article as: Brown SD, Ecker JL, Ward JRM, et al. Prenatally diagnosed fetal conditions in the age of fetal care: does who counsels matter? Am J Obstet Gynecol 2012;206:409.e1-11.