Best practice guidelines for care in subsequent pregnancies

Parents with a history of stillbirth or neonatal death may be at increased risk of stillbirth and other complications in subsequent pregnancies, including preterm birth, low birth weight, placental abruption, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes. In this context, parents face social and emotional challenges, including increased risk of distress, anxiety and depression, and delayed attachment. There may be mixed emotions and conflict between the desire for another baby and fear of adverse outcomes. Parents need continued respectful and supportive perinatal loss care from the time a baby dies through to a subsequent pregnancy.  

The 2024 edition of the Care Around Stillbirth and Neonatal Death (CASaND) Clinical Practice Guideline is the first edition of the guideline to include a specific chapter on care in subsequent pregnancies. Key objectives of this chapter include: 

• meeting parents’ medical, social, and emotional needs, and providing pathways to specialised care 
• parent-centred decision making and care planning, including preconception counselling, pregnancy management, and consideration of timing of birth 
• coordinated care across health and community services 
• culturally safe and responsive care 
• supporting wellbeing of parents, including referral to support. 

Available here: https://learn.stillbirthcre.org.au/learn/casand/