CM. Delivering Unexpected News Continued…

In situations where there has been any form of pregnancy or baby loss, or where a life-limiting condition has been identified the communication should be prefaced with ‘I’m sorry to tell you that…’.
In situations where conditions are not life threatening, use terms such as ‘I have found that …’.
Healthcare professionals should not try to predict how this news will be received by the expectant parents. By ‘holding’ the ‘sorry’ until after their initial reaction, the apology relates to the distress they are experiencing, rather than the finding itself.
Where appropriate, reaffirming statements can be combined with ‘wish’ statements, such as ‘I wish I didn’t have to say this’, or ‘I wish things were different’.