Anaesthetists are doctors responsible for providing pain relief during medical procedures and labour. This can include general anaesthesia during surgeries, as well as epidurals and other pain relief options for labour, including for people who have a termination for medical reasons. They may see you in pregnancy to discuss options for pain relief, as well as the postpartum period as you recover.

Clinical Geneticists are doctors who have specialty training in managing patients and families with or at increased chance of genetic conditions. They work closely with genetic counsellors to support patients and families during genetic screening and diagnostic testing. They will provide you with information about genetic conditions, including options for testing, and helping you and your family to understand results of tests.

Refers to something being present before birth, such as a condition or anomaly that someone is born with rather than develops later in life.

 

Diagnostic testing is different to screening and is used to determine whether an unborn baby has a congenital anomaly (such as a genetic condition) or gain more information after a structural anomaly was suspected through an ultrasound.

Diagnostic tests include genetic testing undertaken through chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis and may include ultrasound, fetal MRI and fetal echocardiography.

Like all diagnostic tests, there remain limitations to technology and knowledge. Diagnostic testing can provide answers, and will often also prompt more questions. It is important to discuss your concerns and questions with your antenatal care provider. You can also find a genetic counselling service through HGSA https://www.hgsa.org.au/asgc/find-a-genetic-counsellor 

 

Doulas may be a source of emotional support during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period. Some people find this to be valuable while navigating pregnancy, and choose to engage a doula as an additional support person for them and their family (such as to attend their birth or visit them in the postpartum period). However, doulas are not health professionals, and so are not generally employed by the hospital or healthcare service but engaged privately.

Medical imaging of an unborn baby. For a fetal MRI a pregnant person will lay down, flat and still within an MRI machine which uses a strong magnet to create images.

 

A fetus is an unborn baby that is over 8 gestational weeks of age.

We know that this word isn't used by many parents when they talk about their unborn baby - and it can feel jarring, but it's often used in prenatal care as it does refer to a specific time in development (fetal stage). If your medical team uses this word but you prefer them to use something else, you can let them know.

Your General Practitioner (GP), or family doctor, is often the first person who you will see in your pregnancy. Navigating the healthcare system after receiving an unexpected finding in pregnancy can be challenging, and your GP may be able to help you find the best place for your ongoing pregnancy care. Your GP may have an interest in pregnancy care and may be able to provide some antenatal care through their clinic, and will refer you to other members of your care team, including other specialists and allied health professionals. They may also assist you in selecting investigations and making treatment decisions. Your GP will continue to look after you and your family in the longer term.

Your GP can also connect you with mental health professionals and can explore options for rebated sessions under the Better Access program or through a referral for Non-Directive Pregnancy Counselling.

"Genetic counselling is a communication process, which aims to help individuals, couples and families understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, familial and reproductive implications of the genetic contribution to specific health conditions."

https://www.hgsa.org.au/asgc/frequently-asked-questions

 

An allied health professional with specialised knowledge in genetics, genomics, counselling and health communication. Genetic counsellors spend time with you and your family to ensure you understand the implications of the condition, the testing options and how to interpret your test results. They assist you with understanding the details so that you can make informed decisions. They work closely with Clinical Geneticists. See also Genetic Counselling. 

 

The time between conception and birth.

 

A term used to describe a detailed assessment of the anatomy of an unborn baby, often undertaken between 18 - 20 weeks and may be completed again if there is a clinical reason to do so, such as a suspected congenital anomaly.

 

A specialist team of health care providers that provide assessment, monitoring, treatment and information to parents who have complicated pregnancies.

 

Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists are obstetricians with further training and qualifications to manage complex and higher-risk pregnancies. They may be involved in your care if you have pre-existing health conditions, if you had a complication in a previous pregnancy, or if an unexpected finding or issue develops during your pregnancy. They will explain your screening results and possible investigations, and will help coordinate your care. They use ultrasound, blood tests and procedures such as amniocentesis to gather more information about your baby and help you make decisions about your pregnancy, and to guide you through the care of your pregnancy.

Mental health nurses are nurses with additional training in mental health and psychotherapy. They can provide non-directive counselling for families who have received an unexpected diagnosis during their pregnancy, and help to provide emotional and psychological support.

See the ACMHN Fact Sheet 'What is a Mental Health Nurse' for more (PDF).

 

A health care professional who specialises in the support of women and their families, through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period.

 

Midwives are central to provision of pregnancy. In uncomplicated pregnancies, a midwife may be your lead care provider. In pregnancies with an unexpected diagnosis or medical condition, your midwife will still provide care and support during your pregnancy, birth (whether by labour and vaginal birth, or caesarean) and postpartum (including breastfeeding). Many midwives have areas of interest or focus, including high-risk pregnancies.

A type of medical imaging which uses strong magnets and electromagnetic waves to take pictures of inside the body.

 

Neonatologists are doctors who have specialised in paediatrics (care of children), and then completed further training in caring for newborn babies. This particularly includes caring for babies who are unwell or are born with medical conditions, or those who are born prematurely. They generally work in a hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Nursery (SCN). They may be involved in the care of your pregnancy before your baby is born, by discussing with you the expectations and care pathway for your baby if you have received an unexpected diagnosis during your pregnancy.

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a Registered Nurse with the experience, expertise and authority to diagnose and treat people of all ages with a variety of acute or chronic health conditions.

Some nurse practitioners work in mental health and can provide comprehensive assessment, treatment and support.

Obstetricians are doctors who have completed speciality training in pregnancy care. Your obstetrician will provide or oversee the team providing your antenatal care, including explaining possible tests and helping you to understand their results. They may refer you to or work collaboratively with a Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialist. Obstetricians will care for you during your pregnancy, birth and postpartum if you continue with your pregnancy, or if you choose to have a termination for medical reasons (TFMR). You may also decide to see an obstetrician when you are not pregnant, such as to debrief on a pregnancy or birth, or to discuss your options and care in a potential future pregnancy.

Obstetric doctors will have different titles depending on their level of training: Consultants are qualified specialists who have completed their specialty training and are responsible for leading a care team, Registrars are qualified doctors undertaking specialty training in obstetrics who often provide day-to-day hospital-based care, and Residents are qualified doctors who have not yet begun specialty training and will be supervised by Registrars and Consultants.

Some occupational therapists (OTs) help children and adults to develop the practical skills that they need to navigate the world around them. In the context of maternity care, this can include helping children develop physical (such as coordination and functional movements), and cognitive (such as memory and sensory processing) skills.

Other occupational therapists work in mental health and provide counselling and therapies, and can support expectant parents who received a prenatal diagnosis to navigate the thoughts and emotions that come.

Peer support workers draw upon their own lived experience to support families in their specific journey. They do not necessarily have a background in healthcare, but will have formal training that enables them to perform this role (often through an organisation such as Red Nose or PANDA) and navigate the space in which they support families. This training sets them apart from other informal sources of peer support, such as family, friends or informal support groups.

Physiotherapists work to overcome physical challenges through techniques that focus on movement and exercise. In the context of babies and children, their work may be quite broad and include helping children meet physical developmental milestones, supporting rehabilitation after a child has been unwell, and helping to exercise the muscles needed for breathing. Furthermore, they can help women recover after difficult births.

"Pre-eclampsia is a serious medical condition that can occur after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It typically causes high blood pressure and can affect several of your body organs, including the liver, kidney and brain. If left untreated, it can lead to serious problems for you or your baby."

This term was suggested by a visitor to the website and the information was sourced from Health Direct. Please see their website for further information.

 

Psychologists specialise in providing mental health care, including counselling, therapy and diagnosis. They play an important role in providing psychological and emotional support. Psychologists are different to Psychiatrists (medical doctors who specialise in mental health care and can prescribe medications). You may be able to access psychology services through your local hospital, via your GP arranging a Mental Health Care Plan, or through another organisation.

Some psychologists specialise in perinatal mental health. Many psychologists can also provide non-directive pregnancy counselling, helping families process the unexpected or make decisions.

An allied health professional with specialised skills in the use of medical imaging technologies such as CT and MRI.

 

"A radiologist is a specialist medical doctor who has had postgraduate training in performing and interpreting diagnostic imaging tests, and carrying out interventional procedures or treatments, using X-ray, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging equipment."

https://www.ranzcr.com/join-our-professions/clinical-radiology/a-career-in-clinical-radiology

 

Antenatal/prenatal screening refers to tests that help determine the chance of an anomaly being present.

Screening tests such as tests like the NIPT (non-invasive prenatal screening test), the combined first-trimester screening and carrier screening provide families insight into their chance of a congenital anomaly/genetic condition based on a number of different factors. The results may suggest that there is a higher or lower chance but screening tests are not diagnostic tests. This means, when a screening test indicates a high chance of a congenital anomaly, parents may be offered diagnostic testing to check whether the baby has the anomaly or not.

Screening tests look for certain conditions but not all anomalies/conditions and each test has its limitations. It is important to know that screening is optional and that you feel comfortable with the decision you make. Some people may wish to have all the information they can about the health or genetics of their unborn baby, others may prefer to only receive information about certain conditions or wish to avoid uncertainty. Your antenatal care providers can provide you with more information or you can contact a genetic counselling service: https://www.hgsa.org.au/asgc/find-a-genetic-counsellor 

Down Syndrome Australia, in conjunction with Qld Health and many collaboration organisations, prepared a comprehnesive website about prenatal screening. The site includes information for families and health professionals: https://prenatalscreening.org.au/ 

MCRI produced resources to help parents make decisions about prenatal screening https://www.mcri.edu.au/prenatal-screening 

 

Social workers provide support to patients and families in a number of ways. They can provide counselling and emotional support, advocate for you within the hospital and community, and prepare you for discharge from hospital and to transition to home life. Social workers may assist in linking you and your family with additional services, such as parental leave and Centrelink payments.

Some social workers specialise in perinatal mental health and can also provide non-directive pregnancy counselling, helping families process the unexpected or make decisions.

An allied health professional with specialised skills in the use of sonography (ultrasound). You will meet sonographers at your early pregnancy and morphology ultrasounds, as well as any additional ultrasounds that are performed in your pregnancy. They may also specialise in obstetric ultrasounds and work as part of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine team.

 

Speech pathologists work to help children speak and understand language, and develop other skills necessary to communicate. They may also be involved in assessing and supporting other functional skills, including feeding and swallowing.