The UK has one of the slowest rates of decline for stillbirth among high income countries and parts of the West Midlands have some of the highest stillbirth rates in the UK.

Both late pregnancy loss and stillbirth carry substantial psychological and social costs to families and wider society, and rates are highest in women from Black and Asian communities, and those living in socioeconomic deprivation. Black women are twice as likely to experience a stillbirth than White women, and stillbirth rates amongst the socioeconomically most deprived are 4.68 per 1000 live births compared to 2.61 per 1000 for the least deprived. Furthermore COVID-19 has widened health inequalities, an important factor in stillbirth.

This project will create the capacity and infrastructure for further substantial work to be carried out in the West Midlands addressing care in the community following a stillbirth.

Funded by	West Mids CRN NIHR
Research team members:	Sarah Hillman, Becky MacGregor, Catherine Grimley, Eleanor Hoverd, Sophie Staniszewska, Siobhan Quenby, Debra Bick, Jeremy Dale
Collaborators:	South Asian Health foundation, Egality, Foleshill Women’s Training
Dates:	May 2022 to April 2023

Enquiries:

Dr Sarah Hillman

s dot hillman at warwick dot ac dot uk

You can read the End of Project Stakeholder Report here.Link opens in a new window

You can view the Infographic here.Link opens in a new window