Navigating Pregnancy After Baby Loss
Baby loss remains a silent topic despite affecting thousands of families in the UK each year.
According to the Office for National Statistics 1 in 150 babies are stillborn or die in the first month after birth in the UK. Most women become pregnant again after losing a baby, which can bring up feelings of guilt, sadness and anxiety.
A study conducted by a team of multi-disciplinary researchers, explored the experiences of women in pregnancy after baby loss, while attending a specialist antenatal service – The Rainbow Clinic @ St. Marys Hospital, Manchester.
“Having lost, I know how real that possibility is”
Women who previously experienced baby loss felt more aware of the potential risks to their current pregnancy. They also felt alone, as this awareness was not shared by the rest of the society.
A “quiet and unspoken subject”
Due to the silence that surrounds baby loss, most people are still not aware of the risk of stillbirth and neonatal death.
This lack of awareness or discussion of stillbirth and neonatal death in the society contributed to women’s feelings of loneliness and isolation.
For women navigating pregnancy after baby loss, attending a specialist clinic felt like a “security blanket”, a safe space where their experience was acknowledged by healthcare professionals, and shared by other women attending the clinic.
To read the full paper click here.
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