1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«This study […] aims to explore the perceptions and views of women and their partners who have accepted or declined NIPT [noninvasive prenatal testing] towards its use for a variety of conditions, including paternity testing, sex determination for non-medical reasons, and the use of NIPT for FWGS [Fetal Whole Genome Sequencing].» (p. 2)

Questions/Hypothèses :
The authors expected to find differences between participants in Québec and in Lebanon «because of the specific cultural and social backgrounds characterizing each context.» (p. 7)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«In both Quebec and Lebanon, potential participants included pregnant women at low and high risk of having a child with trisomy 21, who were identified by recruiters through their medical records.» (p. 2) «Women chose whether or not they wished to include their partner in the interview.» (p. 2) «Forty-three individuals accepted to participate in the interviews: 7 Quebecois couples, 8 Quebecoise women, 6 Lebanese couples, and 9 Lebanese women […].» (p. 3)

Instruments :
Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

According to the authors, «[t]he most interesting finding is the striking similarities between the views of participants from both settings.» (p. 7) «Most participants from both settings were enthusiastic about knowing the sex of the fetus through NIPT. However, they were unanimously against considering it for non-medical sex selection. Objections to the use of NIPT for sex selection were also reported by other studies, where diverse stakeholders including the public, pregnant women and women, and their partners disapproved of NIPT for sex selection. Interestingly, only Quebecois participants feared that some individuals would terminate a pregnancy based on the sex of the fetus. This concern might be tied to the debate surrounding termination of pregnancy, which might in turn be considered within local cultural contexts and policies that shape reproductive decision making.» (p. 7) «The concerns expressed by Canadian participants regarding non-medical sex selection through selective termination, need to be understood on the backdrop of the decriminalisation of abortion in Canada and its availability, in principle, throughout the pregnancy.» (p. 7)