The Japanese government has decided to improve the provision of information on noninvasive prenatal genetic testing (NIPT), which examines pregnant women’s blood to determine the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses.
The decision has come about due to factors including births at advanced maternal ages driving up need for testing, but concern is growing among people with Down syndrome and their families that depending on how the information is conveyed, it could lead to “selection of life” practices and perpetuate prejudice.