One hundred and fifty-one women of advanced maternal age who underwent genetic termination of pregnancy (TOP) were studied for their reproductive behaviour and the type of procedure for prenatal diagnosis in a subsequent pregnancy. A total of 59 women (39 per cent) had a further pregnancy. In all continuing pregnancies prenatal diagnosis was performed, of which 75 per cent consisted of chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Reproductive behaviour following a genetic termination was negatively correlated with maternal age and parity. Both reproductive behaviour and the choice to undergo a diagnostic procedure in the next pregnancy were independent of the type of diagnostic procedure in the previous affected pregnancy.
PIP: In the Netherlands, researchers studied the medical records of and followed-up on 151 women of advanced maternal age (at least 36 years old) who underwent amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and elected to terminate the pregnancy due to an abnormal genetic finding (105 and 46 women, respectively) at Academic Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt between January 1980 and December 1989. Researchers wanted to learn the women's subsequent reproductive behavior and determine whether the type of diagnostic procedure in the index pregnancy influenced the choice of diagnostic procedure in the next pregnancy. 61% did not experience a subsequent pregnancy. 59 women (39%) conceived again. Women who were at least 39 years old had a significantly lower subsequent pregnancy rate than 36-38 year old women (p .001). As parity increased, the subsequent pregnancy rate decreased (p = .005). 11 women experiencing a subsequent pregnancy suffered a spontaneous abortion. All of the remaining 48 women chose to undergo prenatal diagnosis again. 75% requested CVS, the prenatal diagnostic technique conducted during the first trimester of pregnancy, regardless of the technique used in the index pregnancy.