The effect of prenatal genetic counseling service on the anxiety levels of pregnancy and the attitudes of prenatal diagnostic tests

The study was conducted as a prospective randomised controlled experimental research to determine the effect of prenatal genetic counselling on the anxiety levels of pregnant women and their attitudes towards prenatal diagnostic tests. A total of 66 pregnant women, 33 experimental and 33 control, who applied to Adana City Hospital Medical Genetics Department Polyclinic between September and December 2022 were included in the study. Data were collected using the "Descriptive Characteristics Form", Spielberg State Anxiety Inventory", and "Prenatal Screening and Diagnostic Test Attitude Evaluation Scale". Data collection tools were applied by face-to-face interview method in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Medical Genetics. In the study, data collection form was applied to 33 pregnant women in the experimental group before and after prenatal genetic counselling. Standard clinical information was given by the physician to 33 pregnant women in the control group. The experimental and control groups were given pre-test and post-test at the same time periods. The data obtained; "Independent Sample-t" test, "Mann-Whitney U" test, "Wilcoxon" test methods, Pearson chi-square test statistics and Bonferroni correction methods were used to examine the relationships between categorical variables. Number and percentage values were used as descriptive statistics. p<0.05 was accepted as statistical significance. In intergroup comparisons, it was found that the mean scores of the pregnant women in the experimental group on the Spielberg State Anxiety Inventory in the posttest decreased compared to the control group (all p values <0.001). It was found that the mean scores of the experimental group from the Prenatal Screening and Diagnostic Test Attitude Evaluation Scale in the posttest increased compared to the control group (all p values <0.001). In line with the results obtained from the study, it was determined that prenatal genetic counselling service reduced the anxiety levels of pregnant women and positively affected their attitudes towards prenatal diagnostic tests. It is recommended that women's health nurses include genetic information about prenatal genetic counselling in their nursing practices in order to support pregnant women to cope with the anxiety they experience in the prenatal period. It is important to conduct more comprehensive randomised studies on prenatal genetic counselling in order to base nursing practices on better levels of evidence.