Social support following miscarriage

Project Details

Miscarriage affects up to 1 in 4 pregnancies – in Australia, that equates to 285 miscarriages a day affecting 104,000 couples a year.  Significant psychological impacts are common, however healthcare and social support following miscarriage remains rare.  Little Australian research to date has focussed on how we can improve healthcare and social support at the time of miscarriage. This project aims to explore the healthcare and social support experiences of women, men and families following miscarriage, as well as the views of health care practitioners on their suitability to provide this support. We are also examining the experiences of women and psychological support available through hospital based Early Pregnancy Assessment Services.

Researchers

Collaborators

  • The Pink Elephants Support Network
  • Jean Hailes Research Unit
  • MAPrc

Research Publications

  1. Nguyen V, Temple-Smith M, Bilardi J. Men’s Lived Experiences of Perinatal Loss: A Review of the Literature, Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2019 Aug 15. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13041. [Epub ahead of print]
  2. Miller EJ, Temple-Smith MJ, Bilardi JE, "‘There was just no-one there to acknowledge that it happened to me as well’. A qualitative study of male partner’s experience of miscarriage". PLOS One, 2019, 14(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217395
  3. Bellhouse C, Temple-Smith M, Bilardi J. "It's just one of those things people don't seem to talk about..." Women's experiences of social support following miscarriage: A qualitative study. BMC Women’s Health, 2018, 18 (1), 176.
  4. Jensen K, Temple-Smith M, Bilardi J. Clinicians’ role and practices in supporting women experiencing miscarriage: Accepted by ANZJOG, June 20, 2018.
  5. Pang P, Temple-Smith M, Bellhouse C, Trieu V-H, Kiropolous, L, Williams H, Brewin J, Bowles A, Bilardi J. Online health seeking behaviours: What information is sought by women experiencing miscarriage? Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 2018, 252, 118-125.
  6. Bellhouse C, Temple-Smith M, Watson S, Bilardi J. “The loss was traumatic… some healthcare providers added to that trauma”: Women’s experiences of psychological distress and interactions with healthcare providers following miscarriage. Accepted by Women and Birth, June 5, 2018. 32(2):137-146

Research Group

Children and Young People’s Health




Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.

Department / Centre

General Practice and Primary Care

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