Media release – National action to reduce the pain and silence of stillbirth
On 4 November 2022, the Commission released the first national Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard to reduce rates of stillbirth and remove the culture of silence.
The standard provides a framework for healthcare practitioners to identify stillbirth risks, communicate effectively with women about reducing risk, discuss clinical investigations after stillbirth, and provide support after perinatal loss.
The care Australians receive throughout their pregnancy journey is set to improve with the release today of the first national standard on stillbirth.
Each year, more than 2,000 Australian families experience the tragic and painful loss of a baby to stillbirth. In the past two decades, statistics have remained steady with, on average, six babies stillborn every day.
The Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard, developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, is being launched at the 2022 Annual National Stillbirth Forum in Brisbane.
The new standard has guidance on better care for women before and during pregnancy, encourages open discussions about investigations after a stillbirth and urges wide-ranging support after perinatal loss.
Aiming to reduce the stillbirth rate and the stigma attached to the experience, the standard provides a pathway to closing the equity gaps from cultural and geographic barriers.
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