Evidence-based guidance for parents navigating early pregnancy loss and care in subsequent pregnancies

Annually, 1 in every 100 pregnancies at or beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy ends with the death of a baby (stillbirth or neonatal death). This number dramatically rises when early pregnancy loss (before 20 weeks) is included. Many parents will become pregnant again shortly following their loss. Pregnancy following loss is a daunting prospect and a period of intense fear and anxiety for many parents who have previously experienced perinatal loss.

The Stillbirth CRE has develop two evidence-based parent information resources based on best practice care recommendations. These resources aim to empower parents to understand their care options and make decisions that best meet their individual needs.

Both guides will:

• Co-designed with bereaved parents and healthcare professionals, support the psychosocial and emotional wellbeing of parents and provide strategies and tools important in navigating their journey from the time of loss through to future pregnancy planning, and pregnancies after loss,
• Provide healthcare professionals with a tool to promote and support parent-centred decision-making and provide the best possible care to families,
• Based on the Stillbirth CRE and PSANZ Care Around Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Clinical Practice Guideline, and the RANZCOG Clinical Guideline for Miscarriage, Recurrent Miscarriage, and Ectopic Pregnancy
• Available as a printed booklet and as an online resource
• Pilot-tested and refined based on parent feedback

The resources are being rolled out nationally and evaluated to ensure they best meet the needs of bereaved families and healthcare professionals across Australia.

Digital resources are available here: https://carearoundloss.stillbirthcre.org.au/

We acknowledge the generous support from the Australian Government and the Nine Telethon Mater Little Miracles campaign that supported creating this resource.

Research Team: CRE Coordinating team: Fran Boyle, Natasha Cocker, Louis de Waal, Ida Stevia Diget, David Ellwood, Vicki Flenady, Katelyn Hafey, Ann Lancaster, Siobhan Loughnan, Cherie Martin, Emma Porter, Megan Weller. Working Group: Julia Bertalone, Fabricio Costa, Willow Durrington, Stacey Fletcher, Nicole Freeman, Kathleen Goldsmith, Adrienne Gordon, Katelyn Hafey, Hattie Hansen, Alexander Heazell, Susannah Hopkins-Leisher, Sarah Janssens, Meagen James, Emily Judd, Brianne Mackinnon, Cherie Martin, Sam Payne, Rob Saunders, Kelly Robinson, Sean Seeho, Sarah Skellern, Claire Storey, Hannah Tavakoli, Jen Wilkinson, Erin Wilson. Partners: Stillbirth Foundation Australia, Pink Elephants Support Network.