To Test or Not to Test? That is (Not the Only) Question: Public Attitudes towards Noninvasive Prenatal Testing

Abstract

Advances made in noninvasive prenatal testing from fetal sex detection to whole genome sequencing hold the potential to induce a seismic shift in the landscape of genomic information, amplifying existing ethical and social concerns. Currently, conversations about uses of noninvasive prenatal testing as well as imaginings of its future largely exclude the voice of the public. This comprehensive exploratory study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative data to explore the public’s interactions with noninvasive prenatal testing. I argue that members of the public should be brought on as stakeholders in dialogues regarding NIPT’s future, because they can reveal key insights about NIPT’s development and inform new directions for policymakers and healthcare providers.