Newcastle researchers and artists have created an informative tool to help support those who have experienced stillbirth, explaining why the complication is not the mother’s fault.
Researchers from the Mothers and Babies Research Centre at Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), led by Distinguished Laureate Professor, Roger Smith AM, discovered in 2019 that unexplained stillbirth was often the result of ‘aging of the placenta’.
The research discovered that the aging process was complex and not affected by the mother’s behaviour.
University of Newcastle artist Lee Dedman and composer David Banney used this research to create the informational video, We are all born of the stars, seeking to address the feelings of guilt often experienced by mothers afterwards.
“With more than 2,100 pregnancies ending in stillbirth each year in Australia, the video is critical in helping mums understand that stillbirth is not their fault,” Professor Smith said.
“What many people don’t realise is that the placenta is an organ of the baby, not the mother.
“As such, the mother has very little to no control over that organ. She can’t prevent the aging from happening.”
Professor Smith said the video and accompanying journal article had been successful and published in the prestigious American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Scientific research and journals are often used to communicate with doctors and other researchers, however this video was primarily created to communicate with the patients directly.
We are all born of the stars delivers the research outcomes via music and rich imagery, attempting to cut through the complexity of stillbirth and reach grieving parents who may be suffering from guilt and depression.
According to the Centre of Perinatal Excellence, research indicates that “rates of anxiety in mothers during a subsequent pregnancy are likely to be higher if she falls pregnant within twelve months of a stillbirth—there is also more likelihood of experiencing postnatal depression and anxiety”.
A leading authority on safer pregnancy advice, Red Nose Australia, provides bereavement support to families affected by the death of a baby or child.
Red Nose CEO, Keren Ludksi, said the video was a valuable resource to help grieving parents.
“Anger, shame, and guilt are emotions experienced by many parents who have experienced a stillbirth,” Ludksi said.
“Whilst these feelings are perfectly normal, they are challenging for parents to navigate.
“Having a resource that helps explain the function of the placenta and how its failure can cause a stillbirth will potentially help reduce that natural feeling of guilt.”
Ludksi said data from America indicated that 83 per cent of mothers who had experienced perinatal loss experience guilt and depression.
According to the data, experiencing a stillbirth also increases the risks of relationship breakdowns by 40 per cent.
The HMRI research team continues to develop blood tests to identify the presence of an aging placenta and are also working on drugs to help slow an ageing placenta and prevent stillbirth altogether.
Hayley McMahon