About Us

Prenatal Screening Ontario (PSO) is funded by the Government of Ontario to coordinate the operations of prenatal screening services in Ontario, supporting a cohesive and high-quality screening system. We are Ontario's resource for pregnant individuals, families and health-care professionals looking for information and updates related to prenatal screening.

Mandate

Monitor, evaluate and report on the performance of prenatal screening in Ontario
Establish and promote systematic approaches to prenatal screening laboratory services in Ontario
Provide prenatal screening-related education, information and support to health-care practitioners, pregnant individuals and their families through knowledge mobilization efforts
Provide secretarial functions to support the work of the PSO Expert Committees
Engage partners, including pregnant individuals and families that have experience with prenatal screening to inform the evaluation of PSO
Develop evidence-based advice to improve the delivery of prenatal screening laboratory services, and support the provision of clinical care related to prenatal screening

BORN Ontario

PSO is housed within the province’s maternal, newborn and child registry, the Better Outcomes Registry and Network (BORN) Ontario. BORN Ontario is a prescribed registry established in Ontario under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) for the purpose of facilitating and/or improving the provision of health care in our province, with a vision for the best possible beginnings for lifelong health. PSO operates within BORN Ontario’s policies and procedures, including those related to data privacy and security. For more information, please see BORN Ontario’s Data Privacy and Security.

Program reports

Read the 2019-2020 PSO Program Report for more information on the work of Prenatal Screening Ontario and the impact of BORN data.

Road to PSO

With the launch of the Ontario Maternal Serum Screening Program in 1993, a framework for a system of prenatal screening in Ontario was established. The subsequent introduction of nuchal translucency (NT) screening and the shift of serum screening to the hospitals allowed the system to transition from a pilot project to a province-wide initiative in 2003. Over the years, participating laboratories and clinical experts regularly met to support the ongoing provision of high-quality screening in Ontario. In 2016, the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH) struck a Prenatal Screening Strategy Task Force, which submitted recommendations to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) outlining the essential principles for a provincial prenatal screening strategy.

In 2017, the Provincial Budget announced that “Ontario is…investing in the creation of a provincial prenatal screening program that will enhance access to standardize and high-quality prenatal screening across the province”; Prenatal Screening Ontario was launched and has been in full operations since 2018.

PSO team

The PSO team is a dedicated, experienced group of individuals committed to the support of high quality prenatal screening for families in Ontario.

The PSO team consists of:

Medical Directors (MFM/Geneticist)
Program Manager
Genetic Counsellors
Clinical Content Specialist (Ultrasound)
Epidemiologist
Data Analysts
Administrative Staff

How to get involved

The work of PSO is best supported by the input of those who have experience with prenatal screening, as a practitioner, patient or family member.

Find more information on how you can become involved in the ongoing work of our various expert task forces and working groups.

For more information, questions, concerns or general comments about prenatal screening, don't hesitate to contact us at pso@bornontario.ca or using our toll-free information line (833)351-6490.