Families facing a prenatal diagnosis of a birth defect face a unique journey. Our psychosocial team at the Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment is actively engaged in research exploring how we can best support parents and other family members during these stressful experiences. Our research explores topics ranging from mental health screenings and identifying mood and anxiety disorders, to proposed models for perinatal palliative care and other supportive programs in pediatric hospitals.

Highlights

• Allison G. Dempsey, Joanna C. M. Cole, Sage N. Saxton (Eds). Behavioral Health Services with High-Risk Infants and Families: Meeting the Needs of Patients, Families, and Providers in Fetal, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Neonatal Follow-Up Settings. Oxford University Press, 2022. About the book.
• Dempsey AG, Chavis L, Willis, T, Zuk J, Cole JCM. Addressing Perinatal Mental Health Risk within a Fetal Care Center. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2020 May 29.
• Cole JCM, Budney A, Howell LJ, Moldenhauer JS. Developing an Infrastructure for Bereavement Outreach in a Maternal-Fetal Care Center [published online ahead of print, 2020 Aug 31]. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2020;1-6. doi:10.1159/000507480. Read the abstract.
• Teefey CP, Hertzog J, Morris ED, Moldenhauer JS, Cole JCM. The impact of our images: psychological implications in expectant parents after a prenatal diagnosis. Pediatr Radiol. 2020 Dec;50(13):2028-2033.

Prior noteworthy publications by topic

Mental health screening in pregnancy and the postpartum

• Budney A, Gebb J, Soni S, Khalek N, Moldenhauer JS, Cole JCM, Heuer G, Adzick NS, Paidas Teefey C. Perinatal Mood and Anxiety in Women Undergoing Open Maternal Fetal Surgery for Myelomeningocele Closure. Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy. 2026 August.
• Traino, K, Budney A, Mani A, Zajac L, Paidas Teefey C, Cole JCM. Profiles of Depressive Symptoms Among Pregnant Patients Carrying Fetuses with Congenital Anomalies. Psychology in Medical Settings, 2025 November 27. 
• Lisanti AJ, Min J, Hampton L, Cole JCM, Budney A, Burnham A, . Zimmerman L, Quarshi W, Shillingford AJ, Gaynor JW. Determine associations between prenatal maternal mental health and social determinants of health with outcomes in children with critical CHD. Cardiology in the Young, 2025 August. 
• Cole JCM, Zajac L, Budney A, Schindewolf E, Spinner S, Paidas Teefey C. Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care Strategies in a Comprehensive Maternal-Fetal Care Center. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, and Policy. 2024 July.
• Geller PA, Spiecker N, Cole JCM, Zajac L, Patterson CA. The rise of tele-mental health in perinatal settings. Semin Perinatol. 2021 Apr 5;151431. doi: 10.1016/j.semperi.2021.151431. Online ahead of print.
• Dempsey AG, Chavis L, Willis, T, Zuk J, Cole JCM. Addressing Perinatal Mental Health Risk within a Fetal Care Center. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2020 May 29.
• Cole JCM, Olkkola M, Zarrin H, Berger K, Moldenhauer J. Universal Postpartum Mental Health Screening Parents of Newborns with Prenatally Diagnosed Birth Defects. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 47(1), 84-93, 2018.
• Cole JCM. Mental Health Screening, Treatment, and Referral During the Perinatal Period. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2017 Nov - Dec;46(6):891-894. Epub 2017 Sep 11. PMID:28911801
• Cole JCM, Moldenhauer J, Berger K, Carey M, Smith H, Martino V, Rendon N, Howell L. Identifying expectant parents at risk for psychological distress in response to a confirmed fetal abnormality. Archives for Women’s Mental Health, 19(3), 443-453, 2015.

Perinatal palliative care

• Cole JCM, Macdonald JN, Qamar H. Leading up to Loss: Understanding the Perinatal Grief Experience for Expectant Fathers when a Life-Limiting Fetal Diagnosis is Confirmed. Archives of Palliative Care and Medicine, 2019 September 30.
• Cole J, Spatz DL. Section 5: Supporting Families and Care Providers Through the Nuances of Palliative Care Lactation and Breastfeeding in the Context of Perinatal Palliative Care. Handbook of Perinatal and Neonatal Palliative Care. Springer Publishing Company, New York, NY, 2019. Chapter 20, pg. 326-337.
• Cole JCM, Schwarz J, Farmer MC, Coursey AL, Duren S, Rowlson M, Prince J, Oser M, Spatz DL. Facilitating Milk Donation in the Context of Perinatal Palliative Care. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2017 Nov 24. [Epub ahead of print]
• Cole, J., Moldenhauer, J., Jones, T., Shaughnessy, E., Coursey, A., Zarrin, H., Munson, D.: A Proposed Model for Perinatal Palliative Care. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 46(6), 904-911, 2017.

Psychosocial services within a fetal care center

• Cole JCM, Budney A, Howell LJ, Moldenhauer JS. Developing an Infrastructure for Bereavement Outreach in a Maternal-Fetal Care Center [published online ahead of print, 2020 Aug 31]. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2020;1-6. doi:10.1159/000507480. Read the abstract.
• Diem Inglis, J., Hertzog, J., Ousley, H. Fetal Surgery (Chapter 4). Social Work in Health Settings. Practice in Context, 4th Edition in J. McCoyd, T. Kerson (Eds.), Routledge, London and New York, 2016, pp. 52-63.
• Boyd, R., Scharko, A., Cole, J., Patterson, C., Benton, T, Power, T.: Training pediatric psychologist for perinatal behavioral health services in a pediatric hospital. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 23(2), 99-111, 2015.

Learn more about the variety of counseling and support services available to families being cared for in our center and Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit.