Priorities set for stillbirth research

Results of the Stillbirth Priority Setting Partnership (which included representatives from MAMA Academy) have been published this week. They identify 11 key priorities for research into the reduction of stillbirth and improving care for parents who have experienced a stillbirth:

1.How can the structure and function of the placenta be assessed during pregnancy to detect potential problems and reduce the risk of stillbirth?

2.Does ultrasound assessment of fetal growth in the third trimester reduce stillbirth?

3.Do modifiable ‘lifestyle’ factors (e.g. diet, vitamin deficiency, obesity, sleep position, sleep apnoea, lifting and bending) cause or contribute to stillbirth?

4.Which investigations identify a fetus which is at risk of stillbirth after a mother believes she has experienced reduced fetal movements?

5.Can the wider use of existing tests and monitoring procedures, especially in later pregnancy, and the development and implementation of novel tests (biomarkers) in the mother or in early pregnancy, help prevent stillbirth?

6.What causes stillbirth in normally grown babies?

7.What is the most appropriate bereavement and post natal care for both parents following a stillbirth?

8.Which antenatal care interventions are associated with a reduction in the number of stillbirths?

9.Would empowering women to know about relevant evidence-based signs and symptoms and raise them with healthcare professionals reduce stillbirth?

10.How can staff support women and their partners in subsequent pregnancies, using a holistic approach, to reduce anxiety, stress and any associated increased visits to healthcare settings?

11.Why is the incidence of stillbirth in the UK higher than in other similar high-income countries and what lessons can we learn from them?

Dr Alex Heazell, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Obstetrics at The University of Manchester, who led the work, said: “Research has an important role to play in the reduction of stillbirths. Our work has involved patients, clinicians, charity and other key stakeholders identifying priorities which has resulted patient-centred work research priorities. We hope that the questions that we identified will shape the stillbirth research agenda and act as a catalyst for future research and funding.”

Read the report here

and for more information visit here