Year: 2025
Type: editorial
Abstract: Background: While prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease is increasingly common, and communication is essential to minimizing familial stress, little is known about how the fetus is discussed in this setting. This study observed how clinicians and families refer to the fetus during initial fetal cardiology consultations. Methods: Initial fetal cardiology consultations from one institution were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A codebook was developed and used to code the transcripts. Codes included any reference to the fetus and any attribution of agency or mental states to the fetus. Results: Nineteen consultations performed by five clinicians from one academic institution were included. Clinicians and families most frequently referred to the fetus using personal terminology (e.g., third-person pronouns, a given name, or “son” or “daughter”). Impersonal terminology (e.g., “baby”) was used less frequently, followed by medical terminology (e.g., “fetus”), which was only used in two consultations. In about half of the consultations, clinicians conferred agency or mental states on the fetus by attributing actions, emotions, or knowledge to the fetus. Conclusions: Fetal cardiology clinicians primarily use personal terminology when referring to the fetus during initial consultations. Familial preferences need to be evaluated to optimize communication and support.
Source: Children
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
Funders: National Heart Foundation of Australia, National Institutes of Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
OpenAlex ID: W4414093359