Trisomy 18

What do you do when doctors tell you there’s “no hope”? When former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum and his wife Karen received a Trisomy 18 diagnosis for their daughter Bella, they were told she had a condition “incompatible with life.” They were encouraged to prepare for her death. But Bella lived. Now she’s turning 18 years old, something many doctors never expected she would see. In this deeply personal episode of Bioethics Babe, Sen. Rick Santorum shares the emotional and spiritual journey of raising Bella, the medical and cultural pressures families often face after a prenatal diagnosis, and how one little girl transformed their marriage, family, and understanding of human dignity. This conversation explores not only Trisomy Read More ›

What happens when parents hear the words, “Something may be wrong with your baby?” In this episode of Bioethics Babe, we sit down with board-certified neonatologist and pediatrician Dr. Robin Pierucci to unpack what really happens after a prenatal diagnosis. From life expectancy predictions and medical uncertainty to the emotional shock families experience, this conversation exposes the hidden pressures shaping decisions before a child is even born. Are parents being fully informed or unintentionally influenced? Drawing on decades of experience in the NICU, Dr. Pierucci founded Navigating Fetal Concerns, and reveals how diagnoses are communicated, where bias can enter the conversation, and why a diagnosis is not the same as a prognosis. We also explore the trauma families face, the Read More ›