The effect of target scarcity on visual foraging.

Previous studies have investigated the effect of target prevalence in combination with the effect of explicit target value on human visual foraging strategies, though the conclusions have been mixed. Some find that individuals have a bias towards high-value targets even when these targets are scarcer, while other studies find that this bias disappears when those targets are scarcer. In this study, we tested for a bias for scarce targets using standard feature versus conjunction visual foraging tasks, without an explicit value being given.

Perinatal postmortems: what is important to parents and how do they decide?

Background: Falling consent rates for postmortems, regardless of age of death, have been widely reported in recent years. The aim of this study was to explore parental attitudes to, and decision-making about, a perinatal postmortem after termination for fetal abnormality, late miscarriage, or stillbirth.

Methods: A prospective self-completion questionnaire was given to 35 women and their partners.

Attitudes to perinatal postmortem: parental views about research participation.

Objective: To study parental attitudes to participating in questionnaire research about perinatal postmortem immediately after late miscarriage, stillbirth and termination for fetal abnormality.

Design: Prospective self-completion questionnaire.

Setting: UK fetal medicine and delivery unit.

Genetic research on rare familial disorders: consent and the blurred boundaries between clinical service and research.

Objectives: To study the consent process experienced by participants who are enrolled in a molecular genetic research study that aims to find new genetic mutations responsible for an apparently inherited disorder.

Design: Semi-structured interviews and analysis/description of main themes.

Participants: 78 members of 52 families who had been recruited to a molecular genetic study.

Elective cesarean section and decision making: a critical review of the literature.

Background: The cesarean section rate continues to rise in many countries with routine access to medical services, yet this increase is not associated with improvement in perinatal mortality or morbidity. A large number of commentaries in the medical literature and media suggest that consumer demand contributes significantly to the continued rise of births by cesarean section internationally. The objective of this article was to critically review the research literature concerning women's preference or request for elective cesarean section published since that critiqued by Gamble and Creedy in 2000.

Are there "unnecessary" cesarean sections? Perceptions of women and obstetricians about cesarean sections for nonclinical indications.

Background: The belief that many women demand cesarean sections in the absence of clinical indications appears to be pervasive. The aim of this study was to examine whether, and in what context, maternal requests for cesarean section are made.

Methods: Quantitative and qualitative methods were used.

Late termination of pregnancy: law, policy and decision making in four English fetal medicine units:

Objective: UK abortion law allows terminations for fetal abnormality without gestational limit. This study aimed to understand the decision-making experiences of fetal medicine professionals working within this legal framework.

Design: Qualitative study using semistructured interviews.

Factor structure, validity and reliability of the Cambridge Worry Scale in a pregnant population.

This article presents the Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS), a content-based measure for assessing worries, and discusses its psychometric properties based on a longitudinal study of 1,207 pregnant women. Principal components analysis revealed a four-factor structure of women's concerns during pregnancy: socio-medical, own health, socio-economic and relational. The measure demonstrated good reliability and validity.

Communication of prenatal screening and diagnosis results to primary-care health professionals.

Objective: To describe how prenatal screening and diagnostic test results are communicated to primary care health professionals.

Design: Postal questionnaire.

Setting: Primary care practices across London, East Anglia, the Southeast and Southwest of England.

Prenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormality: psychological effects on women in low-risk pregnancies.

When given an adverse prenatal diagnosis, parents are deeply shocked and experience acute grief. This review considers the psychological outcomes for parents whether they opt to terminate the pregnancy or continue, either through choice or because termination is not an option. It covers the full spectrum of malformation from treatable, through those carrying a risk of significant handicap, to lethal.

Women's Understanding of Their Risk of Developing Breast/Ovarian Cancer Before and After Genetic Counseling.

Many studies have reported that individuals frequently over- or underestimate their risk of developing cancer both before and after they attend genetic counseling for breast and/or ovarian cancer. Using a combination of interviews and written questionnaires, we investigated counselees' understanding of their risk of developing cancer before and after genetic counseling. We demonstrate that although 76% of the sample thought that their risk was elevated relative to women in general, only a small proportion (17%) were willing or able to provide a numerical estimate of their risk of developing cancer before they attended the clinic.

Genetic Counseling, Reproductive Behavior and Future Reproductive Intentions of People with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1).

Neurofibromatosis type 1(NF1) is a complex and variable inherited disorder. The complexity and variability present particular difficulty for genetic counseling. Thirty-three people with NF1 of reproductive age were interviewed about their experience of genetic counseling, their past reproductive behavior and future intentions.

Who worries that something might be wrong with the baby? A prospective study of 1072 pregnant women.

Background: Little is known about the normal range and pattern of pregnant women's worry about something being wrong with the baby, or how this relates to other factors. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which women are worried about the possibility of something being wrong with the baby relative to other worries they may have, and to determine whether demographic, experiential, attitudinal, and personality characteristics are associated with this worry.

Methods: Longitudinal data were collected from 1072 pregnant women who completed postal questionnaires at 16, 22, and 35 weeks of pregnancy.

"Talking About Chance": The Presentation of Risk Information During Genetic Counseling for Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

Using observations, questionnaires, and interviews, this study describes the formats used to present risk information during genetic counseling for breast and ovarian cancer. Counselees' preferences for different types of qualitative and quantitative presentation formats are also discussed. The data indicate that there is considerable variation in the presentation of risk information both within and between consultations.

Family Communication and Genetic Counseling: The Case of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

In familial breast/ovarian cancer, the information that the proband is able to supply about other family members is of critical importance for genetic counseling. This frequently requires family communication. Forty-six women attending a cancer genetics clinic were interviewed as part of a longitudinal study.

Women's need for information before attending genetic counselling for familial breast or ovarian cancer: a questionnaire, interview, and observational study.

Objectives: To describe women's information needs prior to genetic counselling for familial breast or ovarian cancer.

Design: Prospective study including semistructured telephone interviews before genetic counselling, observations of consultations, completion of postal questionnaires, and face-to face interviews within two months of counselling.

Subjects: 46 women attending genetic counselling for familial breast or ovarian cancer.

Testing for fetal abnormality in routine antenatal care.

The detection of fetal abnormality is a major component of routine antenatal care. A variety of techniques are now in use, although these are constantly being modified in the pursuit of more accurate and earlier detection. In this paper we draw attention to the distinction between screening and diagnostic tests, and describe the techniques which have been most commonly used in the UK: serum-screening for neural tube defects; screening for Down's syndrome; ultrasound scanning; amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling.

Serum screening for Down's syndrome: some women's experiences.

Objectives: To describe the experiences of a small group of women who had positive results after serum screening for Down's syndrome.

Design: Semistructured telephone interviews and correspondence with women after a positive screening result (four women) negative amniocentesis results (eight), or termination of a pregnancy with a confirmed abnormality (eight).

Subjects: 20 women who contacted Support After Termination For Abnormality about their experiences of serum screening for Down's syndrome.

Psychosocial issues raised by a familial ovarian cancer register.

A Familial Ovarian Cancer Register has been established which has recruited primarily through media publicity. In depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with 20 women who had volunteered in order to explore (1) knowledge about the disease, (2) motivations for contacting the Register, and (3) expectations. We found that interviewees were generally well informed about the symptoms of the disease as a result of their relatives' experiences.