The Tommy's National Rainbow Clinic Study: Evaluation of a Specialist Antenatal Service for Women and Families Following a Stillbirth or Neonatal Death

In the UK, 1 in 300 parents will experience a stillbirth each year, which is over 2,700 babies per year (Manktelow, Smith et al. 2016). There are also over 1,250 neonatal deaths per year, meaning there are approximately 4,000 bereaved families per year in the UK. The death of a baby before or shortly after birth is a profoundly distressing experience for women and their families and is invariably followed by a period of protracted grief (Heazell, Siassakos et al. 2016). Previous stillbirth or neonatal death is consistently recognised to increase parents' anxiety, emotional vulnerability and decrease confidence in the next pregnancy (Mills, Ricklesford et al. 2014). This is a cause for concern because studies in the general maternity population have suggested that elevated maternal anxiety increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, notably preterm birth and low birthweight (Black, Shetty et al. 2008). A recent UK longitudinal study reported that the negative psychological impacts of perinatal loss persist far beyond the next pregnancy and despite the birth of a healthy child (Blackmore et al., 2011). This may have significant long term effects on outcomes for subsequent children; previous history of stillbirth or neonatal death has been reported to disrupt maternal attachment and negatively impact on parenting (Warland, O'Leary et al. 2011). Many parents feel robbed of the 'normal' positive feelings they expected and have described to us how their subsequent pregnancies were characterised by heightened anxiety and fear (Mills, Ricklesford et al. 2014). Common misconceptions, such as the belief that a new pregnancy helps to 'get over' grief for a lost child, effectively isolates parents from social support networks, increasing reliance on external and professional intervention.

Qualitative studies of women's experiences of subsequent pregnancies highlight the value placed on regular interaction with health professionals (Côté-Arsenault, Donato et al. 2006, Côté-Arsenault 2007, Cote-Arsenault and Donato 2011). This evidence suggests that specialist antenatal support might ameliorate anxiety, improve experiences of pregnancy, support relationships and positively impact on future parenthood (Caelli, Downie et al. 2002). However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding what additional antenatal support parents' desire following a previous stillbirth or neonatal death.

To address the need for increased antenatal surveillance and support the Rainbow Clinic was established in St Mary's Hospital, Manchester in 2013 and rolled out in a neighbouring hospital in Manchester in 2016. An extensive quality improvement project and accompanying research study demonstrated that attendance at the Rainbow clinic improved pregnancy outcomes, decreased anxiety levels and was associated with a social value of £6.10 for each £1 invested. The investigators are now working to establish Rainbow Clinics in other maternity units. As this is a new clinical service there is a need to evaluate the care provided in the Rainbow clinics across the United Kingdom, to look at women's experiences of care, where care can be improved and its impact upon pregnancy outcomes for mothers and babies. This needs information about pregnancy outcomes and women's experiences. Participation in this research study will allow us to collect and aggregate this information.