Overview

Unexpected news about an unborn baby's health, development or genetics can thrust parents under threat. Expectations of the future family, maternal and parental identity, and the image of the self can be ruptured by the news itself, or by what follows: the assumptions, judgment and isolation that gather within a healthcare system oriented toward tests and diagnosis rather than adaptation, and a society that hides the experience of families who live it.

This presentation draws on research and lived experience to deepen understanding of the diversity of experiences during and beyond a fetal diagnosis. Together, we will explore the nature and experiences of threat and adaptation, the complexity of decision-making under uncertainty, and the ways that unexpected news ripples across identity, relationships and life trajectory long after the clinical encounter ends. We also examine where our healthcare system falls short, and what those gaps cost families.

Psychologists are well positioned to bridge these gaps and reduce harms, through attunement to each parent's experience and the capacity to adapt care as that experience unfolds.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this event, participants should be able to:

• Describe the psychological impact on parents following unexpected antenatal news regarding fetal health, development, or genetics
• Recognise how such news can affect parental identity, expectations, and the imagined future family
• Identify common emotional and stress responses, including experiences of threat, rupture, and uncertainty
• Understand the influence of clinical communication, assumptions, and perceived judgment on parental adjustment
• Apply principles of attuned and adaptive support to assist parents navigating uncertainty during pregnancy and beyond

Presenter(s)

Dr. Pieta Shakes

About the presenter(s)

Through her developing program of research and service, Dr. Pieta Shakes aims to address critical gaps in Australia’s evidence base, health policy, and care pathways for parents who receive unexpected news about the health, development, or genetics of their unborn baby. By applying systems thinking and building workforce capability and support, she works to embed timely, skilled psychosocial care as a standard part of practice, recognising the well-documented acute and enduring impacts of fetal diagnosis on parents and families. Pieta's clinical career as a mental health nurse and her lived experience of receiving a third-trimester prenatal diagnosis inspire her vision for a health system where psychosocial support is embedded in care as standard, reducing harm and fostering adaptation for families. Pieta has postgraduate qualifications in mental health nursing, child and adolescent mental health, applied statistics, diagnostic genomics and higher education innovative teaching and learning, and is now studying health policy and planning. She is a Teaching and Research Academic with James Cook University, the founder and Executive Director of Through the Unexpected, and the co-Chair of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand Perinatal Ethics Committee.

Notes

Target Audience

This activity is aimed at Psychologists and mental health professionals working with expectant and new parents, particularly in perinatal and family settings. It will also be relevant for clinicians supporting families following fetal diagnosis or navigating uncertainty in pregnancy, and for allied health and maternity care providers seeking to deepen attuned, family-centred care.

Please note:

• This is a Member Groups event. All communication will be sent to the registrants’ registered email address. This includes event reminders with details (such as the Zoom link) and any pre-event or post-event resources, if provided by the facilitators.
• A post-event email will be sent within two weeks of the event’s completion to each registrant’s registered email address. This email will include the CPD certificate, event-recording, and any additional resources shared during the session.

Duration of Access

This event will be recorded. The recording will be emailed to all registered within 2 weeks post event and available for viewing up to 90 days.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.