{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T22:28:13Z","timestamp":1773181693660,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,10]],"date-time":"2021-11-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1636502400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100009708","name":"Novo Nordisk Fonden","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["NNF16OC0018722"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NNF16OC0018722"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100009708","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>A second\u2010trimester anatomy scan may identify a suspected minor fetal anomaly and\/or \u201csoft marker,\u201d such as choroid plexus cysts or femoral shortening. Such findings can raise a medical concern, as they could indicate severe fetal disease; however, they are also often transient or a \u201cfalse alarm.\u201d The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of pregnant women, where a medical concern was raised at the second\u2010trimester ultrasound scan and later discarded after follow\u2010up examinations and diagnostic testing.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Material and methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study consists of qualitative, in\u2010depth interviews with nine women, where a minor anomaly\/soft marker was identified at the second\u2010trimester scan and a severe anomaly was later ruled out. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The main source of worry was uncertainty about the possible implications for the pregnancy and the baby, particularly concerns about potential termination of pregnancy for a severe fetal condition. The women described four strategies to manage worry and uncertainty during the diagnostic process: (a) seeking additional information to feel more in control, and (b) using social networks to share their concerns. Some women tried to (c) mentally distance themselves from the pregnancy during the diagnostic period, while (d) extra scans could relieve worry and support attachment. The women appreciated when the fetal medicine specialist pointed to normal features in the pregnancy and the baby, as this provided some counterbalance to the sense of uncertainty. In general, the women expressed satisfaction with the information received during the diagnostic process. However, all of them were worried during the diagnostic process, and where this process was prolonged, such worry lingered even after the minor anomaly\/soft marker had been discarded.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title><jats:p>Diagnostic uncertainty cannot be avoided in obstetric ultrasound and the women concerned appreciated being informed about the suspected findings even if it caused increased worry. Expedient diagnostic processes may alleviate worry, but are not always possible. Women in a prolonged diagnostic process may benefit from psychological and social support in parallel with, and even beyond, the obstetric investigation. However, further research is warranted.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/aogs.14288","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,11]],"date-time":"2021-11-11T04:32:49Z","timestamp":1636605169000},"page":"94-101","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["The importance of information and support following a suspected second\u2010trimester anomaly that is later discarded: A qualitative study of women's experiences"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"101","author":[{"given":"Lina","family":"Thirup","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"DEFACTUM\u2014Public Health &amp; Health Services Research Central Denmark Region  Aarhus Denmark"},{"name":"Center for Fetal Diagnostics Aarhus University Hospital  Aarhus Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Puk","family":"Sandager","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Fetal Diagnostics Aarhus University Hospital  Aarhus Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Aarhus University Hospital  Aarhus Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Medicine Aarhus University  Aarhus Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ida","family":"Vogel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Fetal Diagnostics Aarhus University Hospital  Aarhus Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Medicine Aarhus University  Aarhus Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Genetics Aarhus University Hospital  Aarhus Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6177-5780","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stina","family":"Lou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"DEFACTUM\u2014Public Health &amp; Health Services Research Central Denmark Region  Aarhus Denmark"},{"name":"Center for Fetal Diagnostics Aarhus University Hospital  Aarhus Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_9_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/pd.5093"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/aogs.12334"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pec.2009.12.011"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12884-015-0743-5"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2393-14-363"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12884-016-1114-6"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/01674820802621775"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0030935"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.midw.2007.11.002"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203864722"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_12_1","volume-title":"Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing","author":"Kvale S","year":"2009"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_13_1","unstructured":"Danish National Board of Health. Retningslinjer for fosterdiagnostik [Guidelines for prenatal diagnostics]. Accessed July 1 2021.https:\/\/www.sst.dk\/da\/Udgivelser\/2020\/Retningslinjer\u2010for\u2010fosterdiagnostik"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.a2547"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_15_1","unstructured":"National Database for f\u00f8talmedicin. National \u00c5rsrapport. [National database of fetal medicine Annual report]. In Danish. Vol. 2019: Dansk F\u00f8talmedicinsk.2016."},{"key":"e_1_2_9_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732315617444"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/2159676X.2019.1628806"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/pd.5476"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/cge.12479"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/aogs.13386"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_22_1","first-page":"325","article-title":"Genetic counseling: parents\u2019 responses to uncertainty","volume":"15","author":"Lippman\u2010Hand A","year":"1979","journal-title":"Birth Defects Orig Artic Ser"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1471-0528.2010.02622.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/JPM.2009.098"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2016.02.069"}],"container-title":["Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/aogs.14288","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/aogs.14288","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/aogs.14288","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,10]],"date-time":"2025-04-10T18:35:38Z","timestamp":1744310138000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/aogs.14288"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,10]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/aogs.14288"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/aogs.14288","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0001-6349","1600-0412"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0001-6349","type":"print"},{"value":"1600-0412","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,10]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2021-07-01","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2021-10-23","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2021-11-10","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}