What follow-up care is recommended for parents who have experienced a

Guideline-aligned answer with reasoning, red flags and references. Clinically reviewed by Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGP.

For parents who have experienced a stillbirth (intrauterine fetal death), follow-up care should include comprehensive support and information.

Emotional and Physical Support: Offer support to women, their partners, and family to help them cope with the emotional and physical consequences of the death .
Information on Specialist Support: Provide information about specialist support services .
Practical Arrangements: Discuss and provide written information on practical arrangements needed after the death of their child . This should cover the care of the body, relevant legal considerations (such as the involvement of the coroner and registration of the death), funeral arrangements, and post-mortem examination if applicable .
Bereavement Support: Discuss the available bereavement support with parents and carers, and provide them with written information . This includes talking to them about available psychological bereavement support groups .
Professional Bereavement Support: Offer bereavement support from a professional with appropriate expertise to the parents or carers both before and after the death .

To facilitate their access to support services, you can:

Ensure that parents are offered information about specialist support services .
Provide written materials detailing practical arrangements and available bereavement support options .
Inform parents about psychological bereavement support groups and how to access them .
When planning bereavement support, consider the role of the GP and other healthcare professionals who know the family, and ensure the multidisciplinary team is informed about the support plan .

What follow-up care is recommended for parents who have experienced a stillbirth, and how can I facilitate their access to support services?