Psychological reactions to fetoscopy: a controlled study.

Twenty woman at risk of carrying a fetus with homozygous beta-thalassemia who underwent fetoscopy and a matched control group of pregnant women were administered the Symptom Questionnaire to evaluate changes in distress. Women who were offered fetoscopy had significantly more anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms and hostility than the control group. Psychological distress significantly decreased after the results of fetoscopy were communicated to the patient, and the decrease was similar in normal control women. Five other patients had a diagnosis of homozygous beta-thalassaemia and their pregnancies were terminated. Their psychological distress increased when they learned the outcome of fetoscopy, but decreased again after termination. Psychological reactions to fetoscopy and amniocentesis appear to be similar, yet women who undergo fetoscopy suffer from more psychological distress.