Perinatal Postmortems: What Is Important to Parents and How Do They Decide?
Abstract
Abstract: Background: Falling consent rates for postmortems, regardless of age of death, have been widely reported in recent years. The aim of this study was to explore parental attitudes to, and decision‐making about, a perinatal postmortem after termination for fetal abnormality, late miscarriage, or stillbirth. Methods: A prospective self‐completion questionnaire was given to 35 women and their partners. The participants had experienced second or third trimester pregnancy loss in a single fetal medicine and delivery unit in the United Kingdom and were making decisions about having a postmortem. They were asked to complete a questionnaire about their attitudes to, and expectations of, a perinatal postmortem. Results: Thirty‐one questionnaires were received from parents of 17 babies (49% of those asked; 16 from mothers, 15 from fathers). Parents of nine babies (53%) said they would agree to a full postmortem, of three babies to a limited postmortem, and of four babies to an external examination only; one couple were undecided. The most important issues for the parents in this study that related to their decisions about a postmortem centered on the need for information, both for future planning and about what had happened. Moderately important issues related to altruism, which is, improving medical knowledge and helping other parents experiencing similar bereavement. Among the lowest scoring issues were potential barriers, such as concerns about cultural or religious acceptability of a postmortem, funeral delays, and what would happen to the baby’s body. Conclusions: Bereaved parents who participated in this study, where postmortem consent rates were relatively high, thought that their need for knowledge eclipsed assumed barriers when deciding whether or not to have a postmortem for their baby. (BIRTH 39:1 March 2012)
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Research and multiprofessional training is important for all staff to improve standards of bereavement care (FES 25%).
“Research and multiprofessional training is important for all staff to improve standards of bereavement care, FES 25 % [31, 35, 37, 38, 40, 52–56]”
From Systematic review to understand and improve care after stillbirth: a review of parents’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences (2016) · cites this paper as [52]
Parents want improved training so that staff can provide tailored discussions and written information to help them make informed decisions about post-mortem and funeral arrangements (FES 20%).
“Parents want improved training so that staff can provide tailored discussions and written information to help them make informed decisions about post-mortem and funeral arrangements, FES 20 % [25, 35–37, 40, 52, 53, 56]”
From Systematic review to understand and improve care after stillbirth: a review of parents’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences (2016) · cites this paper as [52]
There are many factors which influence parents' decision whether to have a post-mortem (FES 20%).
“There are many factors which influence parents decision whether to have a post-mortem, FES 20 % [25, 35, 38, 46, 52, 53, 56, 62]”
From Systematic review to understand and improve care after stillbirth: a review of parents’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences (2016) · cites this paper as [52]
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Ellis, A., Chebsey, C., Storey, C., Bradley, S., Jackson, S., Flenady, V., Heazell, A., & Siassakos, D. (2016) · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · doi:10.1186/s12884-016-0806-2 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
“if clinicians believed that such parents would benefit from information gained from a PM, then counselling needs to be more specifically targeted to address underlying attitudes" (Breeze 2012) [52]”
Background
- Authors
- Breeze, A. C. G., Statham, H., Hackett, G. A., Jessop, F. A., & Lees, C. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Statham, Helen
- Venue
- Birth
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-01-09
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 57-64
- ISSN
- 0730-7659 (ISSN-L)
- 1523-536X
- OpenAlex
- W2111748491
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Birth (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Keywords
- parental decision-making, stillbirth, late miscarriage, miscarriage, bereaved parents, parental attitudes, altruism, information needs
- MeSH terms
- Congenital Abnormalities, Abortion, Spontaneous, Adult, Attitude to Health, Autopsy, Bereavement, Decision Making, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Infant, Male, Parents, Pregnancy, Prospective Studies, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stillbirth
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