ABSTRACT
A questionnaire on the need and acceptability of antenatal diagnosis (AND) for sickle-cell disease was given to 112 women with homozgous sickle-cell (SS) disease and 117 AS mothers of patients with SS disease, all aged 15-45 years. AND was favoured by 57 percent of patients and 76 percent of mothers, the option for termination of an affected pregnancy being the reason in 43 percent of patients and in 51 percent of mothers among this group. Fear of the procedure was the commonest reason for not selecting AND. Of the two common methods, chorinonic villus sampling (first trimister) and amniocentesis (second trimester), 74 percent of all women selected the first trimester method, and 93 percent considered these test should be available in Jamaica. Faced with the diagnosis of a foetus with SS disease, 30 percent of patients and 46 percent of mothers stated that they would request termination. (AU)