Exploring mental health support for NHS staff exposed to patients pregnancy loss

Summary

Pregnancy loss, including miscarriage (when a baby dies before 24 weeks of pregnancy), stillbirth (when a baby dies after 24 weeks of pregnancy), and neonatal death (when a baby dies within the first 28 days of life), affects 1 in 4 pregnancies in the UK. While the emotional impact on parents is well-known, the effects on doctors, nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professionals are less understood. These workers, especially those working in high-pressure areas like maternity wards and neonatal intensive care units, often experience significant emotional distress when dealing with pregnancy loss. If this distress is not properly managed, it can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, reduced job satisfaction, and staff taking time off work.
Some healthcare settings provide support for their staff caring for patients experiencing pregnancy loss, such as discussions after difficult cases where everyone can talk about their experiences (known as debriefing sessions) or group meetings where colleagues offer each other emotional support (called peer support groups). However, this support is not always available in every place, may not be used by staff, and what helps one person might not work for another. For example, a doctor may need different support than a nurse.

This research aims to explore the challenges staff face when caring for patients experiencing pregnancy loss. It will also look at how well current support systems work and identify what kinds of support are needed. The goal is to use the findings to develop better ways to help healthcare professionals in these situations.