The Perinatal Loss Centre collaborates with leading researchers and practitioners in their respective perinatal fields.

Jan Hodgson is an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne and Program Director for the Master of Genetic Counselling and the Master of Genomics and Health. Jan coordinates the Counselling and Professional Practice curriculum for both programs and contributes to subjects including genetic counselling practice, biomedical ethics, health communication and research methods.

Jan has worked in a variety of healthcare settings for more than 40 years as a nurse, counsellor, genetic counsellor, educator and academic researcher.

Jan’s research interests include prenatal testing, perinatal palliative care and genetic testing. Her PhD research explored women’s experiences of prenatal testing and the role of genetic counselling. She is a Member Scholar of the International Institute of Qualitative Methodology (IIQM) and was a Chief investigator for the PeTALS project (Prenatal Testing: A Longitudinal Study) funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the Shepherd Foundation.

Memberships of Professional and Community Organisations include:
Past Chair of the Ethics and Social Issues Committee of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA)
Member of the Australasian Society of Genetic Counselling  (ASGC)
Member of the Board of Management for Down Syndrome Victoria (DSV) and Advisor (Prenatal Testing) to Down Syndrome Australia (DSA)

Jan provides clinical supervision to prenatal genetic counsellors. She is passionate about ensuring that couples are supported effectively throughout the process of prenatal testing with regard to decision-making, access to relevant services and referral to appropriate psychological support. 

Link to publications

Dr Klara Szego is the Principal Perinatal Psychiatrist of the Perinatal Psychiatry Network.

Klara is actively involved in medical education around perinatal issues for GP’s, psychiatric trainees and medical students, and has published papers on the topic of antidepressant use in pregnancy.

Klara was one of the founding members of the first Mother-Baby Unit in Melbourne (Mercy Hospital for Women). Klara was the Director of the Mother Baby Unit from 1996 to 2013, both at the Mercy Hospital for Women and at its later location at the Werribee Mercy Hospital.
 
Klara served as Secretary of the Australasian Marcé Society, an international forum addressing perinatal mental illness in 2010. She has recently been appointed to the Patient Review Panel, which oversees the functioning of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act in Victoria.

As a Perinatal Psychiatrist, Klara sees women and couples who are struggling with fertility difficulties, antenatal (during pregnancy) and postnatal psychiatric disorders, as well as grief and grief complications associated with obstetric losses.

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Kate Stern is Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne, Royal Women’s Hospital. Kate is the Acting Head of Reproductive Services and Head of the Endocrine and Metabolic Service at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne and  Clinical Director and Head of Clinical Research at Melbourne IVF. 

Kate is a fertility specialist, gynaecologist and reproductive endocrinologist. Kate’s special interest is in medical fertility preservation.

Aware of the grief and loss women and couples can experience prior to and during assisted reproduction, Kate is supportive of care that attends to the emotional well-being of hopeful parents. Kate sees the importance of good quality training for health professionals who support bereaved parents.
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Narelle Dickinson is a 2015 Churchill Fellow Recipient, investigating the risks and implications of cross border surrogacy for Australians. She has presented at conferences and workshops across Australia and internationally, and has lectured in the postgraduate Psychology programs of Australian catholic University, University of Queensland, and Queensland University Technology. 
 
Narelle is a Brisbane-based Psychologist endorsed in both Clinical and Health Psychology. Specialising in the perinatal field, Narelle’s provides support to families before, during and after pregnancy. Within this, she works with families struggling with infertility, including those who utilise donor conception and surrogacy. As part of her perinatal practice, Narelle supports families who have experienced perinatal grief and loss, including in the context of pregnancy decision making after diagnosis of fetal abnormality.
 
Narelle currently holds governance positions with the Fertility Society of Australia, Brisbane South Primary Health Network Clinical Council, and the Australia and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors’ Association, and has previously held positions with the Boards and Committees of the Psychology Board of Australia, the Churchill Fellowship Association of Queensland, the Queensland Mental Health Association, the Australian Psychological Society Health College, the Australian Psychological Society Perinatal Special Interest Group, and the Australian Association of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
 
 

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Disclaimer
​At The Perinatal Loss Centre (TPLC), we draw on our own knowledge, skill and experience to provide our services. In doing so, we also rely on specialist advice given to us by members of our Advisory Group (with respect to their particular areas of expertise) who we recognise as leading researchers and practitioners in their respective perinatal fields.  Our advisors do not provide those services through TPLC to recipients of our services.  TPLC releases and indemnifies each member of our Advisory Group from any claim, liability or action made or brought by our clients as a direct result of services provided by TPLC to those clients.