They Say: Hospitals Ignoring Stillbirth Guidelines

Every day, six Australian women experience a stillbirth — a statistic that has not changed significantly over the past decade. Grieving parents are often left without answers, with more than 30% of deaths classified as having unexplained causes.

New research at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital shows that if certain guidelines are followed after a stillbirth, those classified as ‘unexplained’ may be reduced from 34% to 13%.

The guidelines were developed as best practice by the Perinatal Society of Australia & New Zealand. They include such steps as offering a post-mortem examination, including examination of the placenta, by a perinatal/paediatric pathologist to all parents following stillbirth, and undertaking ultrasound, amnio and blood tests.

The Stillbirth Foundation Australia, are trying to make the implementation of these guidelines mandatory. It is hoped that if we can understand the factors that cause stillbirth, we can start to research ways to stop it from happening.

“We are calling on hospitals around the country to implement these guidelines immediately,” said Stillbirth Foundation Australia founder, Emma McLeod. “Reducing unexplained deaths has important implications for bereaved families and their clinicians. This helps us focus on the underlying reasons for the tragic deaths and we can set clear research priorities for the future.”

It’s a cause that deserves some support — visit the Stillbirth Foundation Australia to find out how you can help.