Hospital Post Mortem

The doctor or midwives will ask you if you wish to consider a post mortem. A post mortem cannot be carried out without your consent and you will be given opportunities to discuss the process thoroughly. Once you decide you want a post mortem you will be asked to sign a consent form and consent will be taken by a post mortem trained consent taker. You will then be given a copy of the post mortem and a cooling off period of 24 hours or longer if you wish, when you can change your mind should you choose to do so.

Some questions you may wish to ask about the post mortem examination.

• When will it be carried out?

• Where will it take place?

• How long will it take?

• When the results will be given to you, and who you can discuss these with?

• When and from whom you can get a copy of the results.

The post mortem will take place in Addenbrookes Hospital and usually the baby is transferred there by the funeral directors and returns to The Princess Alexandra Hospital mortuary in about 10 working days once all examinations are completed. You will be notified when the baby leaves the Princess Alexandra Hospital and when the baby has returned.

As part of the post mortem process, small samples of tissues from the organs may be taken for more detailed examination under a microscope. With your agreement these tissue samples will be retained as part of your baby’s medical records. This is so that they can be re-examined in the future to try and find out more if new tests become available.

If you do not wish for these tissue samples to be retained as part of your baby’s medical records, Addenbrookes can sensitively dispose of these samples with your consent. You can also choose for these samples to be returned to the Princess Alexandra Hospital mortuary where you can have the option of having the samples returned to you, sensitively disposed of or having the samples buried / cremated with your baby. This can be discussed further with the Bereavement Midwife Advisors.

The results of the post mortem can take up to 8 weeks from when the baby is returned to Princess Alexandra Hospital. Once the results are available you will be invited to the Sensitive Appointment to discuss this with the Fetal Medicine Consultant and the Bereavement Midwife Advisors, you will be given a copy of the post mortem if you wish.

If you choose not to have a post mortem, blood tests, swabs, examination of the placenta and cytogenetic testing will be part of the investigation process to try and ascertain a cause of death of your baby.

Photography

Families are encouraged to take photos and can use their own mobile phones and cameras if they so wish.

However, before you go home you will be asked if you would like the staff to take photographs for you. If you agree you will be asked to sign a consent form. If you do not consent to photographs your wishes will be respected and no photos taken. Some parents feel they do not want photos but wish for staff to take photographs and keep them on the hospital database file in case one day in the future they change their minds. This can be done but consent is needed. Any photos on file are kept on a secure data protected digital file by medical photography. Photographs can be kept for up to 25 years after they were taken.

Photos taken are memories and we have clothes if you need them, all new and donated to The Princess Alexandra Hospital. You may wish to take photos with siblings or family members and this is facilitated by staff. We have the ability to photoshop the pictures if you wanted them in black and white or the colour altered slightly.

Mementos

Keeping mementos of your baby can help the grieving process. Depending on what stage of pregnancy loss occurred we can provide these for you at your request. Some mementos we provide are:

• Hand and foot prints taken by staff

• Photographs

• Lock of hair

• Name bands

• Tape measure

We provide memory boxes donated by the 4Louis, Simba and Sands charity, and these contain a memory certificate, teddy, candle and small book. They are also a lovely way in which to keep all your baby memories and mementos.

When a baby has died before 24 weeks gestation registration is not a legal requirement. However, there is a memento certificate for the birth and your midwife will complete this for you.