Population Screening Act: NIPT in pregnant adolescents aged 16 and 17 years

Since 2017, pregnant women can opt for the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) as an alternative option to the combined test as prenatal screening test for the detection of trisomies 21 (Down), 13 (Patau) and 18 (Edwards). Furthermore, pregnant adolescents at high risk of a fetus with trisomy based on the combined test result or medical history, can first have a NIPT rather than immediately having an invasive test. This study started in 2014. On behalf of the national NIPT consortium, Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, has submitted a permit request for the use of NIPT in pregnant adolescents aged 16 and 17 years. The Committee on Population Screening of the Dutch Health Council advises the State Secretary of Health, Welfare and Sport to grant the permit under the condition that the consent procedure as prescribed in the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act will be applied. This means that only adolescent’s consent is required for study participation.