About ARC
ARC is the only national charity helping parents and healthcare professionals through antenatal screening and its consequences.
We offer impartial information and support to expectant parents facing decisions about antenatal tests and results. We do this throughout their journey – before, during and after tests, receiving unexpected or difficult news from tests and making decisions about what to do.
We provide independent, accurate, unbiased information so that parents can take the decisions that are right for them.
If a parent decides on termination, we support them through their loss and what can be a complicated grieving process that follows.
For parents who continue with their pregnancy, we offer emotional support through the pregnancy and signpost to organisations with expertise in specific conditions.
We train health care professionals and work with policy makers so that women and couples receive the highest possible standards of care.
Why does ARC exist?
In the UK approximately 720,000 pregnant women every year will be offered some form of screening test, such as an ultrasound scan and/or a blood test. As a result, over 20,000 expectant parents will be told that their baby may not be developing as expected. This causes a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty for expectant parents and their families.