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Parents recognise benefits of postmortems

April 03, 2002

Parents who have lost a baby view the postmortem examination as a useful and necessary tool in helping to discover the reasons why their baby died, finds a study in this week’s BMJ.

Researchers at Newcastle University surveyed 258 women who had attended a bereavement counselling service after losing a baby during pregnancy or infancy about their experience and views of the postmortem examination.

Of the 166 women who completed the questionnaire, 81% agreed to a postmortem examination on their baby. The most common reasons given for agreeing to an examination were wanting more information about what had happened and helping to improve medical knowledge and research.

Twenty-eight women did not agree to a postmortem examination. The most common reason given was that they felt their baby had suffered enough.

Eighty-six per cent believed the findings of the examination had been explained appropriately, although nine women regretted their decision. Of those who refused an examination, four had regrets about their decision. One said: “Now, two years later, I would like to know why they died,” and another: “an answer may have alleviated the burden of guilt.”

Parents view the postmortem examination as a useful and necessary tool in helping to discover the reasons why their baby died, say the authors. All medical staff involved in consent for postmortem examinations should be fully trained in how to ask for parental consent, the postmortem examination procedure, and how to explain the findings.

British Medical Journal (BMJ)