Survey of attitudes of Chinese perinatologists and obstetricians toward non-invasive prenatal genetic testing.

AIM: The clinical application of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is still very limited in China. We carried out a survey to assess the willingness of Chinese obstetricians to offer NIPT and to determine how they would implement it and what resources they would need for the testing.

METHODS: Between June 2014 and June 2015, a survey was conducted at a large academic referral center with data obtained from 392 registered perinatologists and obstetricians who completed an entire questionnaire.

RESULTS: Most respondents (72.5%) agreed or strongly agreed that the percentage of women patients refusing to accept NIPT would increase if they were charged directly for the test. Most respondents (82.7%) answered affirmatively that the national health administration agencies should formulate a standard charge for NIPT. The most important factors that influence the application of NIPT are the popularity of the test and its cost. The majority of respondents indicated that there are appropriate reasons for NIPT.

CONCLUSION: The importance of NIPT and guidelines for the application of NIPT should be clarified in current clinical practice in China. Extensive education regarding NIPT application is necessary prior to mass implementation.