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Pregnancy Loss Research Group attend International Stillbirth Alliance Conference in Sheffield
Members of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group (PLRG) attended the International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA) Conference 2023 at The University of Sheffield from 30 June to 02 July, showcasing a variety of work through invited, oral and poster presentations.
On the first day of the conference, Professor Keelin O’Donoghue gave an invited talk titled “Stillbirth matters: Evidence and impact to inform policy and practice in Ireland”, outlining the latest perinatal death statistics in Ireland, updates from Bereavement Standards implementation, recent research from the Group, and policy and practice developments. Dr Brendan Fitzgerald provided an overview of “Stillbirths during the COVID-19 Pandemic” during an invited talk on the final day of the conference, highlighting the Irish experience. This was the first year that the full perinatal pathology team attended and presented at the conference, showcasing the diversity of research undertaken by the Group and its growth in recent years.
At the closing ceremony, Professor Keelin O’Donoghue was awarded the ISA Distinguished Researcher Award for her contribution or her contribution to research on stillbirth/newborn death. Caroline O’Connor was awarded ISA Best Poster Award for her poster titled “Risk factors and characteristics associated with stillbirth in twin pregnancies”.
Delegates at ISA Sheffield 2023, including members of the PLRG and staff from the Saolta Hospital Group. Photo: ISA
PLRG oral presentations at ISA 2023
| Title | Presenting author | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation of a perinatal mortality review tool for Ireland: Understanding facilitators and barriers | Professor Keelin O’Donoghue (on behalf of Emily O’Connor) | ACHIEVE |
| Fetal death in dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies: An assessment of the current clinical practice guidelines | Professor Keelin O’Donoghue (on behalf of Caroline O’Connor) | MILESTONE |
| International leave policies on pregnancy loss before viability | Marita Hennessy PhD (on behalf of Ruadh Kelly-Harrington) | PLACES |
| Pregnancy loss before viability: A scoping review of workplace supports | Marita Hennessy PhD (on behalf of Ruadh Kelly-Harrington) | PLACES |
| Bridging the gap between pregnancy loss research, policy and practice: Involving knowledge users in identifying barriers, facilitators and key strategies in knowledge translation | Marita Hennessy PhD |
PLATFORM |
| The perceived dispensability of recurrent miscarriage care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative interview study | Marita Hennessy PhD | RE:CURRENT |
| Maternal morbidity and postpartum medical complications in women who experienced stillbirth at a tertiary maternity hospital between 2017 and 2021 | Professor Keelin O’ Donoghue (on behalf of Felicia Deonarine) |
Area: Stillbirth |
| Consent issues across the globe | Dr Jessica White | Area: Perinatal pathology |
| Delayed villous maturation (DVM): Why do some babies demise with the presence of placental DVM and others do not? | Dr Brendan Fitzgerald (on behalf of Dr Amy Fogarty) |
Area: Perinatal pathology |
| How a service model supported by specialist medical scientists helped address inequity of access to specialist perinatal pathology services within a regional maternity service | Therese Brosnan |
Area: Perinatal pathology |
| Evolution of a perinatal pathology service: Tthe first 10 years highlights the importance of late miscarriage investigation and increasing demand for placental pathology | Susan Dineen |
Area: Perinatal pathology |
| Perinatal post mortem support: Accompanying parents in their religious and cultural approaches appreciating the value of perinatal postmortem | Area: Spirituality |
PLRG poster presentations at ISA 2023
| Title | Presenting author | Project |
|---|---|---|
| A systematic review of standardised tools used in perinatal death review programmes | Professor Keelin O’Donoghue (on behalf of Dr Emily O’Connor) | ACHIEVE |
| Risk factors and characteristics associated with stillbirth in twin pregnancies | Professor Keelin O’Donoghue (on behalf of Caroline O’Connor) | MILESTONE |
| The RELEVANT Study: Rethinking stiLlbirth through bEhaViour chAnge iNtervenTions – the next steps | Tamara Escañuela Sánchez |
RELEVANT |
| A systematic review of behaviour change techniques used in the context of stillbirth prevention | Tamara Escañuela Sánchez | RELEVANT |
| Pregnancy outcome of trisomy 18 pregnancies following legalisation of termination of pregnancy in Ireland | Professor Keelin O’Donoghue (on behalf of Dr Hadas Miremberg) | Area: Termination of pregnancy |
| Redesign of autopsy consent forms can reduce but not eliminate form completion errors | Dr Jessica White | Area: Perinatal pathology |
| An audit of parental choices around organ retention at perinatal post-mortem examination | Brid O’Sullivan | Area: Perinatal pathology |
Founded in 2003, the International Stillbirth Alliance connects clinicians, researchers, and families from around the world to end preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths. At the opening ceremony delegates were welcomed by ISA’s Chair, Dr Paula Quigley, and Professor Marta Cohen, local organiser. Antoinette Ayers, one of ISA’s co-founders, sent a video message, acknolwdging the twentieth anniversary of ISA and achievements to date.
Members of the PLRG have been actively involved in ISA over the years. Dr Margaret Murphy is a member of the ISA Board, and Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, Dr Daniel Nuzum and Anne Marie Farrell are members of various ISA working groups (advocacy, bereavement and prevention). The PLRG also hosted the ISA 2017 Conference in Cork.