Impact of holding the baby following stillbirth on maternal health and well-being

Published on Wednesday, 24 August 2016 Post

A study of the effects on the mother's mental health and wellbeing of holding their baby after stillbirth has been published in BMJ Open. The study, carried out by NPEU researchers Maggie Redshaw, Julie Hennegan and Jane Henderson, used data from Listening to Parents, a national survey of women who had a stillborn baby in England in 2012. The results suggest an adverse effect of holding their stillborn baby, with significant increases in anxiety and relationship difficulties with their family 9 months after the birth. There were important limitations to the study which must be born in mind when considering the results. Read the full paper.