Background: Pregnant women in the Netherlands can make use of prenatal
screening for Down’s Syndrome (combined test) and/ or other congenital disorders (ultrasound at
20 weeks). Women are supposed to make an informed decision about participation. However, it is
not clear whether they do, especially not for women from ethnic minority groups, those with
lower SES and young women under 23. Methods: Focusgroup discussions, and face-to-face
interviews with Turkish, Moroccan, low SES, and young pregnant women were held using IPA for
analyses. Findings: Women mentioned various reasons for (usually) not taking part in Down
Syndrome screening. There were both valid: ‘my risk is low since I am young’, and less valid
reasons: ‘Down Syndrome does not occur in my family’. Emotions played an important role. The
ultrasound at 20 weeks was considered standard care and taken as opportunity to learn about the
baby’s sex. Conclusions: Pregnant women make a conscious, but not always informed, decision
about taking part in Down Syndrome Screening, which is not covered by insurance companies. They
do not reflect upon taking part in standard care
