Aims

Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of pregnant women has been performed worldwide since 2011, and it is currently performed in more than 90 countries. However, the rate of adoption in Japan remains at less than 2%. This review seeks to identify the ethical and practical issues surrounding noninvasive prenatal screening—including the purpose of the test, its pros and cons, issues surrounding fair treatment, and social factors—to better understand why the adoption rate remains low.

Methods

This study examines the complex ethical issues surrounding noninvasive prenatal testing, including the purpose of the test, its pros and cons, issues related to fair treatment, and social factors.

Results

Although cell-free DNA analysis for common fetal trisomies using maternal blood is highly accurate, lack of access to such testing and discriminatory attitudes in society remain important barriers. Personal choices such as whether to undergo noninvasive prenatal screening and whether to continue a pregnancy are sometimes criticized by those who believe that it leads to the “selection of life” or discrimination against people with disabilities.

Conclusions

Obstetrics has changed dramatically in recent years, and prenatal diagnosis technology has also advanced. To keep up with these advances, better information should be provided to ensure the public has a more nuanced understanding of the screening beyond the overused argument that it leads to “selection of life.”