1
|
Wilpers A, Goldblatt Hyatt E, Bahtiyar MO, Hu Y, Leon-Martinez D, Chervenak FA, McCoyd JLM. "We All Want to Be Able to Tell You Something Hopeful": Clinicians' Experiences Providing Maternal-Fetal Surgery Counseling. Fetal Diagn Ther 2023; 50:353-367. [PMID: 37315537 DOI: 10.1159/000531535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prenatal counseling about maternal-fetal surgery can be traumatic and confusing for pregnant people. It can also be technically and emotionally complex for clinicians. As maternal-fetal surgery rapidly advances and becomes more common, more evidence is needed to inform counseling practices. The objective of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the methods clinicians currently use to train for and provide counseling, as well as their needs and recommendations for future education and training. METHODS We used interpretive description methods and interviewed interprofessional clinicians who regularly counsel pregnant people about maternal-fetal surgery. RESULTS We conducted 20 interviews with participants from 17 different sites who were maternal-fetal medicine specialists (30%), pediatric surgeons (30%), nurses (15%), social workers (10%), a genetic counselor (5%), a neonatologist (5%), and a pediatric subspecialist (5%). Most were female (70%), non-Hispanic white (90%), and practiced in the Midwest (50%). We identified four overarching themes: (1) contextualizing maternal-fetal surgery counseling; (2) establishing shared understanding; (3) supporting decision-making; and (4) training for maternal-fetal surgery counseling. Within these themes, we identified key practice differences among professions, specialties, institutions, and regions. CONCLUSION Participants are committed to practicing informative and supportive counseling to empower pregnant people to make autonomous decisions about maternal-fetal surgery. Nevertheless, our findings indicate a dearth of evidence-based communication practices and guidance. Participants identified significant systemic limitations affecting pregnant people's decision-making options related to maternal-fetal surgery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Wilpers
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- National Clinician Scholars Program, Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Nursing, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Fetal Care Center, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Erica Goldblatt Hyatt
- School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mert Ozan Bahtiyar
- Fetal Care Center, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yunzhe Hu
- Barnard College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daisy Leon-Martinez
- Fetal Care Center, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Frank A Chervenak
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Lenox Hill Hospital, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Judith L M McCoyd
- School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| |
Collapse
|