Improving care and support around future pregnancy after baby loss for women with diabetes

 

This study explores how to improve care and support for women with diabetes who become pregnant after having previously lost a baby

For women who have diabetes, the risk of having a stillbirth or neonatal death is increased. Research has shown that helping these women to prepare for pregnancy can reduce this risk, by taking folate supplements and carefully controlling blood glucose levels. However, in reality such activities are often difficult to consistently carry out, meaning that the risk is not as well managed as it possibly could be. This becomes particularly apparent when a woman becomes pregnant after having previously lost a baby. Therefore, the overall aim of the study is to produce a set of recommendations for healthcare professionals that will help to improve care and better prepare diabetic women for pregnancy after a previous loss.

During the study the researcher will review all the existing research to find out what currently happens during conversations with bereaved parents before a future pregnancy, and what other guidance exists for how these conversations and related care could be improved. To explore the experiences of healthcare professionals and parents, one-to-one interviews will take place which will then be analysed to find common themes in these experiences.   

This will inform the production of a final set of recommendations for healthcare professionals that will help to improve care and better prepare women with diabetes for pregnancy after a previous loss. Sands has been involved by providing expert advice to help shape the study and has supported the recruitment of participants to the study.

Find out more about what we do and our plans for the future in our research strategy.