Interpreting low-income Latinas' amniocentesis refusals

As with other medical care, low-income Latinas turn down prenatal genetics services, including amniocentesis, more than any other U.S, group. Aminocentesis is a medical procedure that provides information about a fetus' health. Virtually ail conditions the test detects are untreatable other than by induced abortion. Because little is known about why Latinas accept or decline aminocentesis and the role ethnicity might play in their decision, we sought to address these issues. We first identify factors associated with amniocentesis acceptance and refusal in a group, of Mexican-origin women. We then described the actions those,who refused took after turning down the rest and their explanation their acts. We show that while study participants' ideas about what put their pregnancies at risk were often at odds with those of clinicians, their objectives were similar to reduce risk and maintain hope in the face of uncertainty.