Last week the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at University College Cork and Cork University Maternity Hospital led by Prof Keelin O’Donoghue was awarded ‘Best Research Team of the year’ at the UCC Research awards.

This multidisciplinary team  is made up of doctors, midwvies, nurses, administrative staff, social workers, chaplains, health services/population health/ social science researchers, and parent advocates, and is funded by funders The Irish Research Council, The Health Research Board, Science Foundation Ireland, and the HSE.

What are the aims of the group?
  • Examine lifestyles and psycho-social demographic factors associated with all types of pregnancy loss
  • Calidate potential multiple risk factors and biomarkers that may be used to predict pregnancy loss.
  • Develop a research-based approach to the introduction of new materials to improve the process of consent for autopsy
  • Discover bereaved parents’ attitudes to autopsy and post-mortem investigations
  • Explore the psychological and spiritual needs of bereaved parents
  • Examine the lived experiences of men and women who have experienced early pregnancy loss, late miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death
  • Explore bereaved parents’ attitudes and experiences, and then to assess how this interacts with biological or socio-demographic causes of pregnancy loss.
  • Improve understanding and increase awareness of the consequences of pregnancy loss amongst healthcare professionals
  • Examine the impact and costs of pregnancy loss in the next pregnancy on parents and healthcare professionals

Learn more about the Pregnancy Loss Research Group Here