The project aimed to describe the association between prenatal diagnosis of fetal anomaly and psychological stress in the woman and her partner after an ultrasound examination.
Physiological stress response was also investigated.
The Sofus study was a prospective, longitudinal, observational study with four assessments in pregnancy, one six weeks after birth and one 10-12 years after birth.
A total of 692 women and men were included in three different groups:
- Detected fetal anomaly in ongoing pregnancy
- Normal ultrasound examination, no history of fetal anomaly
- History of fetal anomaly, normal ultrasound-examination in ongoing pregnancy.
We have described some of the highest levels, ever measured, of psychological stress in women in the acute phase after detection of fetal anomaly.
Participants
Partners institutions
- The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
- The Norwegian Food Research Institute (Nofima)
- The University of Oslo, Norway
- Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
