- Academic Editor
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Background: The most prevalent type of inherited intellectual
disability worldwide is Down syndrome. Prenatal testing can determine the
possibility of a pregnant woman giving birth to an infant with Down’s. Many
invasive interventions help with early diagnosis of Down’s. Although high-risk
pregnancies should be offered invasive prenatal diagnosis, the International
Society for Prenatal Diagnosis encourages non-invasive prenatal screening testing
(NIPT) as a primary screening test for all pregnant women, regardless of risk.
The present study aimed to determine the knowledge and attitude regarding NIPT
among Saudi Arabian women. Methods: This cross-sectional study involving
1028 participants living in Saudi Arabia was conducted from February to March
2023, using a re-designed questionnaire shared among women with pregnancy
history. The questionnaire assessed their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs
regarding NIPT. Results: Only 14.8% of our respondents had undergone
NIPT; the most common indication was a recommendation from their healthcare
provider (41.7%). About 3.4% of the respondents had given birth to a child with
Down syndrome, and 22% had relatives with chromosomal abnormalities or genetic
diseases. Surprisingly, only 22.3% of the respondents had previously heard about
NIPT. The mean knowledge score about NIPT was 2.82