Pioneering programme where couples expecting a child with Down's Syndrome meet families who have children with condition

Down's Syndrome
On Assignment
World
Monday 29 October 2018 at 5:36pm

A controversial blood test for Down's Syndrome looks like it might be introduced by NHS England soon.

The ‘NIPT’ test is more accurate than the test currently available and poses no risk of miscarriage.

In countries where the test is already in use, the rate of abortion of babies testing positive has risen to over 90% in many parts of Europe. In Iceland, it has reached 100%.

For ITV's On Assignment, Nina Hossain travelled to Copenhagen to find out how Denmark has responded to the impact of this new test - a pioneering collaboration which has created ‘the contact family programme’. It is the first of its kind in the world, involving families raising children with Down's meeting couples expecting a child with Down's, before deciding whether or not to terminate their pregnancies.

Watch Nina's full report in On Assignment, broadcast on Tuesday 30th October at 10.45pm on ITV