Preventing the birth of infants with Down's syndrome: a cost-benefit analysis.

The costs and economical benefits of providing routine prenatal diagnosis of Down''s syndrome with termination of affected pregnancies in older pregnant women in the west of Scotland were examined. The potential economic benefits would be greater than the costs for women aged 40 and over, probably about equal to costs for those aged 35 and over, but less than costs if the service were extended to women under 35.