Attitudes of high-risk women toward preimplantation genetic diagnosis

Objective

To explore the knowledge and attitudes toward preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of women who have been personally affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

Design

A 33-item quantitative survey covering five domains, including demographics, knowledge and attitudes about PGD, usage of PGD, and informational needs.

Setting

Attendees of a national conference for individuals and families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer participated in the survey.

Patient(s)

Not applicable.

Intervention(s)

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Frequencies and proportions were summarized for all variables, and Fisher's exact tests were conducted to test association between two discrete variables.

Result(s)

Of the women surveyed, only 32% had ever heard of PGD before taking the survey. None of the women surveyed had actually used PGD, and 44% believed they would not use it in the future. However, 57% of attendees believed that PGD was an acceptable option for high-risk individuals, and 74% believed that high-risk individuals should be given information about PGD.

Conclusion(s)

Health care professionals who serve cancer patients should consider incorporating information about PGD into patient education. Further research is needed to survey physicians and genetic counselors about their knowledge and opinions of PGD.

Key Words: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis, BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA1/2), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer