Receiving a Poor Prenatal Diagnosis

May 4

Written By ALIES

May 4, 2026

Receiving a difficult prenatal diagnosis can feel overwhelming, shocking, and deeply unfair. Whether it’s a suspected genetic condition, structural abnormality, or a life-limiting diagnosis, it’s normal to experience a range of emotions. Feelings of grief, fear, anger, confusion, numbness, and even guilt are all normal responses. If you’ve received difficult news, our team is available to help you explore your options and connect you with appropriate medical and community resources.

You do not have to make a decision immediately. It is okay to take time, get a second opinion, or meet with specialists. Many families find it helpful to speak with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist or a perinatal palliative care team. During these visits, the specialist will review your test results, explain their meaning, discusspossible next steps, and answer your questions. They may order additional tests or connect you with genetic counsellors or other experts to help clarify your baby's condition. These discussions are meant to provide clear information, support your decision-making, and help you feel more prepared.

It is important to carefully consider all of your options before making a decision. Contact our team for a thorough explanation of abortion procedures and to discuss alternatives such as perinatal hospice and palliative care.

If you have only received a screening test, note that screening tests estimate the chance that a condition might be present. They flag an increased risk, but they do not determine with certainty whether a condition actually exists. Diagnostic tests, on the other hand, are used to confirm the presence of a condition.[1]

Because diagnostic tests are more accurate, doctors rely on them to make medical decisions. Still, even diagnostic testing is not perfect. No medical test can guarantee absolute accuracy in every case, which is why seeking a second opinion before taking further action can be helpful.

Noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) is often described as highly accurate, but false positives occur more often than many people realize, especially in women who are considered low risk, such as those under age 35. According to a study published in 1991, the overall positive predictive value for Down syndrome screening was just 2.2 percent, meaning the vast majority of positive results were actually false positives.[3]

For rarer conditions, the chance of a false positive can be even higher. For that reason, experts strongly recommend confirming any positive NIPS result with diagnostic testing before making irreversible medical decisions.[4]

Here are some of the most common prenatal diagnoses:[5]

Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)
Congenital Heart Defects
- Atrial septal defect
- Ventricular septal defect
- Patent ductus arteriosus
- Pulmonary stenosis
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
- DiGeorge syndrome
Cleft Lip/Palate
Spina Bifida
Brain Anomalies
- Hydrocephalus
- Arachnoid cysts
- Chiari 1 malformations
- Craniosynostosis
- Encephaloceles
- Syringomyelia
Limb Differences
Cystic Fibrosis
Trisomy 18
Trisomy 13

It is important to carefully consider all of your options before making a decision. Contact our team for a thorough explanation of abortion procedures and to discuss alternatives such as perinatal hos pice and palliati ve care.