'I'm not picking up a heart-beat': experiences of sonographers giving bad news to women during ultrasound scans.

This study explores the experiences of obstetric sonographers imparting diagnostic information which may be considered 'bad news' to expectant mothers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine sonographers at two London Hospitals to elicit their experiences of giving bad news. Themes which emerged then formed the basis for a quantitative survey of 180 practising obstetric sonographers in England. Their perception of what constitutes 'bad news' was examined. It was found that sonographers were predominantly concerned with lack of time and the unpredictability of the patient's reaction when giving bad news. Staff working in settings where there was a clear protocol specifying how to proceed following disclosure of bad news experienced less stress than those working without such a protocol. These findings have implications for psychologists working with patients who suffer pregnancy loss who may consider provision of support and counselling skills training for sonographers.