Care in pregnancy

SANDS campaigning for improved care

  

Parents need to know that the care they and their baby have received has been good, and that everything that might have been done to avoid the baby’s death was done.

Nothing is more devastating for a bereaved parent than to fear that something could have been done to change the outcome. However the 8th Annual Report by CESDI (The Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy) - now known as CEMACH - concludes that babies are still dying unnecessarily.

Results from a 1996-97 review of 422 cases of stillbirth showed that 45% “had sub optimal care that might have contributed to the outcome”.

Key areas of concern include:

  • antenatal risk management and referral practices through pregnancy
  • recognition and management of growth restriction of babies in utero
  • fetal movement issues – as reported by the mother and acted on by professionals
  • communication issues
  • importance of advising mothers of the risks to the foetus of smoking, of attendance for antenatal check-ups.

CESDI has made very clear recommendations for improvements in practice, particularly in improving the standards for assessing maternal and fetal risk throughout the pregnancy. The report can be reading full on CEMACH’s website at www.cemach.org.uk

SANDS and CEMACH are committed to working closely together to raise awareness of these recommendations amongst maternity professionals.

Listening to Parents

All CESDI’s reports have highlighted the need to improve communication between parents and maternity professionals.

Mothers can become aware of the normal patterns of her baby’s movements and growth and if there are concerns these should be heard and investigated by the professionals caring for her. Even if no problem is found, parents should never feel that they are ‘bothering’ maternity staff, nor feel reluctant to ask for help again if their concerns return.

Click here to read an article written for SANDS newsletter by Mary Sidebotham. Mary is a CESDI research midwife: the article describes her experience of caring for bereaved parents and why it is crucial the CESDI recommendations are taken on board by midwives and other health professionals.