Grief and compassion in the birthing suite
Each year there are more than 2,000 babies stillborn in Australia, a relatively high rate compared to other countries around the world.
Midwives, who are trained in delivering healthy newborns, form an integral part of the grieving and healing process for patients and their families.
Professor Caroline Homer, Associate Dean (International and Development) and Director of the Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health at the UTS Faculty of Health, explains how UTS is implementing a powerful innovation in training midwives, by asking families to share their stories of loss with students.
In a recent article in the Guardian (opens an external link), Caroline says “Midwives can play a critical role in the prevention of stillbirth and are the most cost-effective providers of the essential care that helps save the lives of mothers and babies."
Caroline was an invited speaker at the recent Australian launch of The Lancet’s Stillbirth Series. She also led one of the commentaries.
