Background Studies indicate there is a need to improve the delivery of unexpected news via obstetric ultrasound, but there have been few advances in this area. One factor preventing improvement has been a lack of consensus regarding the appropriate phrases and behaviours which sonographers and ultrasound practitioners should use in these situations. Aims To develop consensus guidelines for unexpected news delivery in Early Pregnancy Unit and Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme NHS settings. Methods A workshop was conducted to identify priorities and reach consensus on areas of contention. Contributors included interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, policy experts, representatives from third-sector organisations, lay experts and academic researchers ( n = 28). Written and verbal feedback was used to draft initial guidance which was then circulated amongst the wider writing group ( n = 39). Revisions were undertaken until consensus was reached. Results Consensus guidelines were developed outlining the behaviours and phrases which should be used during scans where unexpected findings are identified. Specific recommendations included that: honest and clear communication should be prioritised, even with uncertain findings; technical terms should be used, but these should be written down together with their lay interpretations; unless expectant parents use other terminology (e.g. ‘foetus’), the term ‘baby’ should be used as a default, even in early pregnancy; at the initial news disclosure, communication should focus on information provision. Expectant parents should not be asked to make decisions during the scan. Conclusions These recommendations can be used to develop and improve news delivery interventions in obstetric ultrasound settings. The full guidelines can be accessed online as supplemental material and at https://doi.org/10.5518/100/24 .

An analysis of Twitter discourse regarding identifying language for people on the autism spectrum.

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What is known on the subject: • Many parents find out that their unborn baby has a difference in their health, development, or genetics. • This news is often unexpected and can be distressing and traumatic, which can lead to anxiety. There is a gap in support for parents. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: • This paper offers a story of the lived experience of the first-author, a mental health nurse who was told that her baby had a difference late in pregnancy. Carlsson, Starke, and Mattsson (2017) conceptualized the experience of receiving a prenatal diagnosis of a congenital anomaly as "an emotional roller-coaster" (pg. 55), where parents moved through shock, existential crisis and towards life-remodelling. This concept