The Stillbirth CRE research program addresses priorities across four major program areas.
Our research focuses on developing novel methods to improve data capture and new discoveries for identification of the at-risk fetus that can be readily translated into clinical practice to reduce stillbirth and adverse newborn outcomes. We research novel approaches to ensuring best practice care after perinatal death and in subsequent pregnancy.
Our four program areas incorporate cross-cutting themes, including Indigenous health, clinical education, and community awareness
This program area draws on existing and novel systems to gain comprehensive, timely data to improve knowledge of the causes of stillbirth and contributing factors in stillbirth.
Novel tests to improve antenatal detection of women at increased risk of stillbirth are needed. Many of the unexplained stillbirths that occur in high-income countries may be due to problems with how the placenta develops and functions.
This program area focuses on research to enable informed decision-making in the care of women during pregnancy to avoid stillbirth and other adverse newborn outcomes. It includes expansion of the Safer Baby Bundle to include new research, wide-scale implementation across maternity services, and monitoring of unintended consequences.
This program area focuses on improving care around the time of stillbirth, and in subsequent pregnancies. The psychosocial impact on mothers and families and society is substantial, yet the care received by parents in Australia is highly variable.
The Stillbirth CRE is committed to reducing inequality in prevention and care after stillbirth in Australia and the wider Western Pacific region. A focus on reducing inequity is an urgent priority identified by the Stillbirth CRE and cuts across all of our research program areas, with a number of projects focused Indigenous, migrant and refugee, and regional and rural populations.
