Negotiating Awareness: Dutch Midwives’ Experiences of Noninvasive Prenatal Screening Counseling

Marieke de Vries (), Danique Oostdijk, Kim G. T. Janssen, Raymond de Vries and José Sanders
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Marieke de Vries: Institute for Computing and Information Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EC Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Danique Oostdijk: Communication and Information Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Kim G. T. Janssen: Medical Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Raymond de Vries: Center of Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
José Sanders: Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HD Nijmegen, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 22, 1-14

Abstract: Background: Discussion of the topic of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) has become a standard part of Dutch maternity care practice. This means that pregnant women who are contemplating NIPS can receive counseling from their midwife or obstetrician. The aim of this study is to understand the communicative practices and decision-making principles regarding first-tier use of NIPS, as experienced by Dutch midwives. Methods: Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with Dutch midwives (n = 10) exploring their conversations about NIPS counseling and decision making. Results: Midwives value the autonomy of women in decisions on NIPS. They consider it a midwifery task to assess women’s awareness of the risks and implications of using or not using this mode of screening. The optimal level of awareness may differ between women and midwives, creating novel challenges for informed decision making in midwifery communication. Key conclusions and implications for practice: Negotiating awareness about NIPS in individual women is a relatively new and complex midwifery task in need of counseling time and skill. NIPS practices call for a reflection on midwifery values in the context of integrated maternity care.

Keywords: noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS); midwifery communication; decision making; counseling; informed consent (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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