Episode 7: The Emotional Side of Genetic Testing in Pregnancy — with Kathy Solanki

Pregnancy is often described as a joyful time. But for many women and their partners, the reality is can be more complex — and when an unexpected genetic testing result enters the picture, the emotional stakes can rise dramatically.In this episode, GenoCare Co-Founder A/Prof Ali Archibald is joined by Kathy Solanki — credentialed perinatal mental health nurse, midwife, and member of the GenoCare counselling team — for an illuminating conversation about the emotional landscape of pregnancy and early parenthood.Kathy draws on years of clinical experience to explore why pregnancy is such a psychologically heightened time, what happens in the body when stress and anxiety take hold, and how unexpected prenatal results can challenge a person's sense of what their future looks like.They discuss the science of co-regulation — how a calm clinical presence can help a patient's nervous system settle — and why psychosocial support shouldn't be reserved only for patients who are visibly struggling. As Kathy puts it, it should simply be woven into every clinical encounter as part of whole-person care.Symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both are common during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Yet the emotional impact of unexpected genomic results is still widely under recognised in clinical practice.One of the founding insights behind GenoCare — born from Ali's qualitative research — was that patients often don't show their distress on the surface. People can look fine. They often aren't. That's why GenoCare's model is built around proactive, preventative psychosocial support, available to every patient navigating genetic testing in pregnancy.In this episode you'll hear about:— Why pregnancy is an emotionally heightened time for most women— The physical stress response and what it means for patient care— How unexpected prenatal results can trigger shock, grief, and identity disruption— The role of co-regulation in clinical encounters— Why psychosocial support should be offered universally, not selectively— Practical strategies patients can use to manage anxiety and stress.About Kathy Solanki Kathy is a credentialed perinatal mental health nurse and midwife with extensive experience supporting women and families through the emotional complexities of pregnancy and early parenthood. She is part of the GenoCare counselling team.About GenoCare GenoCare delivers innovative models of care that integrate expert genetic counselling with psychosocial support, designed to be person-centred, scalable, and accessible.Utilising the Igentify platform, GenoCare delivers digital solutions that streamline education, consent, and care pathways, elevating genetic care.Learn more: www.genocare.com.au