title: Care following stillbirth in high-resource settings: Latest evidence, guidelines, and best practice points.
abstract: Third-trimester stillbirth affects approximately 2.6 million women worldwide each year. Although most stillbirths (98%) occur in low- and middle-income countries, most of the research on the impact of stillbirth and bereavement care has come from high-income countries. The impact of stillbirth ranges from stigma to disenfranchised grief, broken relationships, clinical depression, chronic pain, substance use, increased use of health services, employment difficulties, and debt. Appropriate bereavement care following a stillbirth is essential to minimise the negative socio-economic impact on parents and their families. This article presents the best practice points in stillbirth bereavement care, including taking an individualised and flexible approach. The latest published research, guidelines, and best practice points from high-income countries will be used and will highlight the gaps in the research which urgently need to be addressed. Research and investment in appropriate, respectful aftercare is needed to minimise the negative impact for parents.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Women's Health, University of Bristol, Chilterns, Women's Health, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK. Electronic address: ds7656@bris.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Danya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bakhbakhi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Women's Health, University of Bristol, Chilterns, Women's Health, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burden
authors.affiliation: International Stillbirth Alliance & Centre for Academic Women's Health, University of Bristol, Chilterns, Women's Health, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Storey
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Women's Health, University of Bristol, Chilterns, Women's Health, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siassakos
mesh_terms: D001601:Bereavement; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019049:Developed Countries; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D000072858:Psychosocial Support Systems; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Bereavement care; Best practice; Guidelines; Stillbirth; Training