Betsy received her undergraduate degree in Biology and Elementary Education with a focus in Intense Special Needs in 1998 from Boston College in the USA. She then taught children with special needs for a year before attending a Master’s Degree program in Medical Genetics/Genetic Counselling at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio USA.
Betsy obtained her degree in 2001 and obtained her full certification in genetic counselling in 2002. Betsy has previous experience in cancer, paediatrics, and prenatal genetic counselling.
Prior to joining SO+GI, she was the primary genetic counsellor at the Fetal Care Center of Cincinnati, one of the few centres in the USA where fetal intervention is offered. As part of the team, Betsy discussed etiology, recurrence, fetal treatment options, and psychological issues with families who had pregnancies with complex birth defects. The centre offered treatment for a wide range of abnormalities including TTTS, TRAP, CCAM, CHAOS, Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, teratomas, cardiac anomalies, and airway obstructions. Betsy has been involved in fetal surgical cases including ultrasound guidance, fetoscopic intervention, open fetal surgery, and Ex utero intrapartum (EXIT) delivery procedures.
In addition, Betsy was involved in counselling families whose pregnancies had birth defects for which there was no fetal intervention, including brain abnormalities, chromosome disorders, genetic syndromes, and multiple congenital anomalies. Betsy was an active member of the psychosocial team at the centre, recognizing and helping address the psychological needs of the patients undergoing treatment.
Betsy was an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati Graduate School and has participated in a number of published research studies. Areas of research interest have included: psychological adjustment of families undergoing fetal intervention, and long-term outcome in pregnancies diagnosed with brain abnormalities by fetal MRI.