Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical and Nursing Students toward Noninvasive Prenatal Testing and Fetal Anomaly Scan

Background: Fetal anomaly scans and Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) have become increasingly important in contemporary prenatal care. These advanced techniques provide valuable insights into fetal health and development, benefiting both healthcare providers and expectant mothers. By offering detailed information about potential anomalies and genetic conditions, they help guide informed decision-making throughout the pregnancy journey. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate medical and nursing students’ understanding of and attitudes concerning NIPT and fetal anomaly scans. Materials and Methods: RAK Medical and Health Sciences University’s medical and nursing students participated in this survey. Students of all ages, male and female, participated in the study. A Google Form was used to gather the data, and the responses were logged. Results: A total of 285 students voluntarily participated in this survey. There were 140 nursing students and 145 medical students. Both medical and nursing students had knowledge about fetal anomaly scans (47.37% and 5.26%). There was a notable change in answers and awareness regarding NIPT. The knowledge of medical and nursing students was at 47.02% and 43.22%. Both medical and nursing students had a good attitude about the tests and were optimistic about referring their future patients for fetal anomaly scans. Conclusion: Both the medical and nursing students know about the anomaly scan and NIPT, and they demonstrated a positive attitude and willingness to advise parents about these in their clinical practice. There is a need for continuous reinforcement of training about these modalities to see a difference in attitude and practice.