Parental decisions regarding termination of pregnancy following prenatal detection of sex chromosome abnormality

Abstract

In the period of a retrospective study (1970-1984 inclusive) forty cases of sex chromosome aneuploidy were identified at amniocentesis in Oxford, England and in Kuopio, Finland; 25 of these pregnancies were subsequently terminated. A decision to continue was made more often for XYY and XXX karyotypes, by older mothers and older fathers, by couples with more previous children, and by couples living in England. A decision to terminate was made more often for XXY and non-mosaic 45,X karyotypes, by younger mothers and younger fathers, by couples with few previous children, in all cases with abnormal ultrasound findings, when post-amniocentesis counselling was given by an obstetrician, and by couples living in Finland. Previous miscarriages, or terminations of pregnancy, previous problems with infertility, marital status, or the type of counselling given before amniocentesis, appeared not to influence a couples' decision. Religious and ethical ideas were not studied systematically at the time and cannot be reported on.