Baby Loss Awareness Week

During Baby Loss Awareness Week, Patricia Gibson MP said:

"On Baby Loss Awareness Week it is appropriate to shine a light on the issue of stillbirth – 3,500 deaths from stillbirth each year across the UK about one in three at full term.

This cannot continue and putting this firmly on the political agenda is the only way that we can make the changes needed.

We need to ensure that stillbirths are independently investigated so that lessons can be learned and practice and care improved.

Mothers voices must be heard – too many mother’s concerns are not listened to and subsequently go on to suffer a stillbirth

Bereaved parents need to be given suitable and appropriate support and we need to work towards coroners investigating stillbirths – particularly those at full term – to see how practice can be improved to drive down the incidence of stillbirth. In Scotland we should consider Fatal Accident Enquiries for stillbirths at full term – particularly when there is evidence of mistakes having been made.

Every stillbirth is a tragedy and we have a duty to do all we can to ensure that the incidence of stillbirth – too high in comparison with our European neighbours – is reduced as much as possible."

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