Life Defenders
What to Do When Doctors Say Your Baby Won’t Survive with Dr. Robin Pierucci
Love the show? Text us your feedback! A prenatal diagnosis can hit like a tidal wave, and the next sentence too often comes fast: “You can terminate.” We slow everything down and talk about a different path, one rooted in medicine, ethics, and love. Dr. Robin Pierucci, a board-certified pediatrician and neonatologist with a master’s in bioethics, joins us to explain what perinatal hospice and perinatal palliative care actually are, who they’re for, and why the goal is never to “give up,” but to care well when a child may face a life-limiting condition. Dr. Pierucci challenges the “lethal diagnosis” mindset and reminds us that diagnosis is not equal to prognosis. She shares what parents can say to slow things down and give themselves room to breathe before making a decision. We discuss how “comfort care” can sometimes become a euphemism for neglect, why clinicians can be overly cynical about “quality of life,” and why no diagnosis ever cancels the first and most important fact: it’s a baby. We look at two specific diagnoses trisomy 13 and trisomy 18. Dr. Pierucci shares how individualized care and ethically grounded decision-making protect families from being pushed toward outcomes that were never inevitable. You’ll hear why a thoughtful birth plan matters, how trauma-informed care helps parents think clearly, and the concrete steps families can take, from setting boundaries with providers to asking smarter questions about prenatal testing. If you or someone you love is navigating a prenatal diagnosis, see the resource links below. Subscribe, share this conversation with someone who needs steadier ground, and leave a review to help more families find it. Program Resources: www.fetalconcerns.com www.prenataldiagnosis.org www.benotafraid.net Support the show
