Re: Medical EV problem
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Its unthinkable that in the uk the person cannot refuse the procedure. I seriously doubt that there is even any sort of official recommendation to take the test.
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Of course you can refuse proceedures, but remember in the UK this is the National health service, and individuals generally accept the recomended proceedure. Doctors and health care trusts are paid extra to meet targets, such as ensuring a certain percentage of patients are tested (same idea applies to immunisation). When the goverment is paying there can be a lot of pressure to do what the doctors say is best.
The official recommendation is clear though. There is incredible pressure to take the initial blood test, and the secondary proceedure is recommended if the test suggests a 1 in 300 chance of Downs syndrome.
I have personal experience of this, as my wife refused the initial test repeatedly on the basis that the possibility Down syndrome would not affect our decision to proceed with a pregnancy (termination would not be an option for us in this case).
The background in the UK is also of course that termination is far less controversial than it is in the US and the health service makes its proceedures accordingly.
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