Objective  To examine the utilization and influencing factors of serological screening for Down′s syndrome in mothers whose fetus or newborn diagnosed with congenital defect in Beijing from 2007 to 2016 for improving the coverage of serological screening and providing evidences to reduce serious birth defects effectively.

  Methods  The data of the study were reported by midwifery institutions and pediatrics in two urban and one suburban district of Beijing city from October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2016 and extracted from hospital birth defect monitoring system. With the data collected, we conducted a retrospective analysis on utilization and its influencing factors of serological screening for Down′s syndrome among 13 800 mothers having a fetus or newborns with congenital defect diagnosed from 13 genital weeks to 7 days after the birth. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression model was applied in data analyses.

  Results  In the three regions of Beijing during the 10-year period, the overall proportion of the mothers utilizing serological screening for Down′s syndrome was 74.42% and the annual proportion increased from 65.94% in the surveillance year of 2007 – 2008 to 79.30% in 2013 – 2014 but then declined to 76.12% in 2015 – 2016, with a significant upward trend generally (Z = 10.58, P < 0.001). The mothers with local household registration had a higher proportion for utilizing the screening compared to those with household registration of other regions; while, the gap in the proportion between the two groups of the mother had been narrowed continuously (Z = – 12.10, P < 0.001). Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the mothers having a delivery in surveillance year of 2011 – 2016, aged ≥ 25 years, with an education of junior high school and above, and having an average monthly income of ≥ 2 000 RMB yuan were more likely to utilize the screening; whereas, the mothers without local household registration, with multiple parities, and having a pregnancy of twins or triplets were less likely to utilize the screening.

  Conclusion  The utilization of serological screening service for Down′s syndrome in mothers having a fetus or newborn with congenital defect was high during 2007 – 2016 in Beijing city, and the deficit in the utilization for the mothers without local household registration was decreased during the period; the utilization is mainly influenced by the year of delivery, age, education, monthly income, type of household registration, parity, and multiple gestation among the mothers.