After a stillbirth – offering choices, creating memories

Abstract

The death of a baby around the time of birth is a major catastrophe for parents. Their grief is likely to be profound and long lasting. Many parents welcome the opportunity to create memories of their dead baby and treasure the brief time during which they were able to see or hold him or her. NICE guidance consists of four documents which make different statements about parents seeing and holding their baby. Lack of consistency about an important aspect of practical care and the potential for choice to be removed, is unhelpful to parents and to the professionals caring for them. Informed choice must remain the overriding principle of care.