WOMEN'S EMOTIONAL PROFILE AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH WAITING FOR THE PRENATAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTING RESULTS.

Prenatal Diagnostic Testing for Down's syndrome suspicion can have multiple physical and psychological implications. Women going through this process experience negative emotions both at the time of the invasive procedure and while waiting for the results. The aim of this study was to outline the emotional profile of women while waiting for the results and to assess the psychological disturbance experienced by them. It included 40 women who completed the Profile of Mood States questionnaire and a demographics, experience, and knowledge questionnaire. Two-thirds of the women surveyed experienced anxiety, almost a quarter of them depression, a third anger, confusion, acute distress, and 15% total distress. The level of knowledge was medium and the perception of risk far from reality. The emotional profile obtained highlights the disturbance of the women's psychoemotional state. For better awareness and diminishing negative emotions, women who go through this process should benefit from adequate individualized information as well as genetic counselling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]