The impact of contact with the baby after stillbirth: a systematic review of the evidence
Published on Monday, 30 November 2015 Post
Stillbirth affects around 1 in 200 pregnancies in high-income countries and is a devastating and traumatic event for women and their families. Guidance on contact between parents and their stillborn baby has changed over time and has been based on mixed evidence.
NPEU researchers Julie Hennegan, Jane Henderson and Maggie Redshaw have published a systematic review of the published evidence on the impact of contact with the stillborn baby on parental mental health, well-being and satisfaction. Their review found conflicting and sparse evidence on the impact of holding the stillborn baby on mothers' mental health and well-being, both in the short and longer term. The studies reviewed consistently found that mothers valued contact with their stillborn baby and were satisfied with their decision to have this contact.
