Prenatal counseling: a statewide telephone service.

The University of Michigan has provided a statewide prenatal counseling service for obstetricians and pregnant patients since 1974. Using a toll-free telephone hot line, 5204 inquiries have been made, relating to genetic conditions, exposure to potential teratogens, and obstetric or medical complications during early pregnancy. Up-to-date and accurate information has been supplied by a team of nurses and physicians with backgrounds in genetics or maternal-fetal medicine. Calls were taken by perinatal nurse counselors and referred to the appropriate medical specialist. The number of inquiries has increased from 3 per week in 1974 to 30 per week in 1981. Genetic amniocenteses, performed in response to 46% of all inquiries, provided financial support for the project. The authors consider the statewide use of this self-supported prenatal counseling service to be encouraging and recommend that this format be used at other institutions.