World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE MOST EFFECTIVENESS COST OF SCREENING WAY BEFORE BIRTH OF DOWN SYNDROME AT FIRST TRIMESTER

Elham Shahidani, *Erfan Kharazmi and Shaghayegh Vahdat

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Economic evaluation comprises essential evaluation of costs and benefits of screening. One of the ways of economic evaluation is analyzing effectiveness cost. The purpose of this study is economic evaluation of the most effectiveness cost of screening ways before birth of Down syndrome at first trimester in the city of Shahrekord. Method: This study is an analytical-descriptive with calculating effectiveness cost of two ways in nuchal translucency (NT) by ultrasound and biochemistry of mother’s serum, measuring protein A related to pregnancy and human chorionic gonadotropin during first trimester of pregnancy. Total pregnant women who have performed screening tests during first trimester were 357. Findings: The cost of the most effectiveness way of screening Down syndrome is on the first trimester of ultrasound (ratio of effectiveness cost 3729080 rials for prevention from each Down syndrome). Meantime, mother’s age represented a meaningful relation to the results related to the birth of Down syndrome infant (P=0.012). Conclusion: Between 357 pregnant women which have performed first trimester screenings, 10 Down syndrome infants were identified. Number of identified infants who had Down syndrome did not correspond to results of first trimester screening. It was more diagnosed that in two ways births of Down syndrome infants were low and doesn’t indicate exact results to the investigators. As a result, we can’t rely on this two ways as comprehensive and definitive diagnostic ways and screening ways during second trimester recommended.

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