Overestimation of gestational age is a common reason for an initial positive result with triple markers. Researchers have examined the characteristics of women who refuse prenatal genetic screening. These researchers did find an association between ethnicity and test refusal. The effects of religion and religiosity for the same sample were complex. Women raised Catholic or Protestant were equally likely to refuse testing.
Genetic testing raises a number of ethical issues.
The cloning of the sheep Dolly and the new technologies available soon which allow for altering of DNA will change people's childbearing choices. Genetic testing today is about predictive and future risk. Another time when an APN can counsel clients regarding genetic testing is before conception. Application of Evidence to SL SL was told that if the triple-marker screening was abnormal, it did not necessarily mean she had to have further testing, or that she had to terminate her pregnancy. The APN explained to SL that a positive probability for this test would indicate she had a greater risk of having a child with a neural tube defect.