[Communication skills for prenatal counselling].
Prenatal counselling is characterized by specific characteristics: A):The communication is about the values of the pregnant woman and her relationship with the child to be. B) The communication deals with patient's images and emotions. C) It is a communication about risks, numbers and statistics. D) Physician and patient deal with important ethical issues. In this specific setting of prenatal diagnosis and care physicians should therefore learn to apply basic principles of patient-centred communication with elements of non directive counselling, patient education and shared decision making. These elements are integrated into a process which comprises the following "steps": 1. Clarification of the patient's objectives and the obstetrician's mandate. 2. The providing of individualized information and education about prenatal tests and investigations. 3. Shared decision making regarding tests and investigations 4. Eventually Breaking (bad, ambivalent) news. 5. Caring for patients with an affected child.
Bitzer
J
J
Universitätsspital Basel, Frauenklinik, Gyn. Sozialmedizin und Psychosomatik, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel.
Tschudin
S
S
Holzgreve
W
W
Tercanli
S
S
D003142:Communication; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000523:psychology