Iris Bakkeren

Iris Bakkeren is a Researcher in the Department of Clinical Genetics at Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, specializing in the psychological and ethical dimensions of prenatal genetic testing. Her work centers on non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and its impact on patients, clinicians, and societal attitudes.

Her research spans medical genetics, genetic counseling, and reproductive psychology, with a focus on anxiety measurement (using tools like State Trait Anxiety Inventory), moral judgment in prenatal decisions, and the implications of conditions like Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21). She investigates how genome-wide NIPT findings affect psychological outcomes and how clinician characteristics influence patient choices between NIPT and invasive procedures.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent emphasis on patient-centered outcomes in prenatal care. Key trends include the psychological burden of additional NIPT findings, societal pressures versus autonomous choice in screening, and the interplay between clinician behavior and test uptake. Her work bridges clinical genetics, psychology, and medical ethics to address real-world challenges in modern prenatal diagnostics.