Bereavement Support for families
If you or a family member or friend has been affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby please accept our sincere condolences.
The staff at George Eliot NHS Trust Women and Children’s Services are committed to providing sensitive care and emotional support in a way that is both helpful and respectful to you and your family's individual needs.
A member of our Maternity Bereavement Support Team will be able to give the appropriate guidance regarding the practical arrangements you need to make and support in creating memories whilst respecting individual choices/wishes.
Information and advice for parents following the loss of your baby (PDF)
Further information about Bereavement can also be found on the main Bereavement Services page.
Bereavement Services at George Eliot Hospital (geh.nhs.uk)
April 2022
Bereavement Midwives Office
Tel: 02476865811
Working Hours: Monday to Friday 08.00am - 16.00pm
Email: maternitybereavement
Bereavement Lead Midwife - Samantha CollingeEmail: samantha.
Bereavement Lead Midwife - Leah Callandar Email: leah.callander@geh.nhs.uk
Trust Bereavement Lead/Counsellor Michelle Peart Tel: 02476865102
Consent to a Post Mortem Examination
The loss of your baby during any stage of pregnancy, birth or very early life is a deeply sad and upsetting time. We are so sorry for your loss.
Sometimes a post mortem examination can be beneficial in trying to find out why your baby has died. This detailed examination can help us to understand health issues during pregnancy or birth. The findings can support you to be more information about what has happened and what this means should you come to think about future pregnancies. Together we can look at the support and treatment options available.
We have gathered information about a post mortem examination to help you through making a decision on whether or not to consent. Your bereavement team can be contacted for support during this time and to help you understand this information.
The main message is that this is your decision to make and we will support your choices.
What is a Post Mortem?
A post mortem is a careful examination of a body after death. Depending on the type (or level) of the post mortem it can include external and internal examination of your baby's body, an x-ray, photographs of important findings and tissue samples from the main organs that we look at under the microscope.
We may test for changes in the chromosomes or DNA, look for infection or occasionally for changes in the body chemistry. The internal examination is made through a careful incision on the front of the body and the back of the head. The organs to be check are carefully removed and examined by the pathologist. After the post mortem, the organs are sensitively returned to the body and the skin is carefully repaired. Any x-rays, photographs and tissue samples (known as tissue blocks and slides) will be stored safely so we can go back to them, should it be necessary to reconsider the findings in the future.
Giving consent to a post mortem
The histopathology department at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust will on our behalf perform either a full post mortem, a limited post mortem or an external post mortem dependant on the clinical history and scan findings.
A full post mortem will include; external examination, examination of the internal organs, taking samples of tissue for examination under the microscope, x-rays, medical photographs and may also include testing for infection and of chromosomes, DNA or the body chemistry, depending on what the pathologist finds. the pathologist may decide that the clinical history and scan findings allow them to limit the examination to taking only the tissue they need to confirm a diagnosis.
If you consent to full post mortem, then tick that box on the form you will be provided by our bereavement team.
A limited post mortem will include all of the tests described under full post mortem, but examination of the internal organs will not include the areas you indicate on the form provided.
There is a box to tick to consent to a limited post mortem and further boxes to indicate the areas that you do not wish to be examined.
An external post mortem usually includes an external examination, x-rays and medical photographs. Chromosome testing may also be performed if you consent to it.
If you give consent to an external post mortem then tick the box on the form provided.
If you give consent to a post mortem, a paediatrician or obstetrician will discuss the results with you around 12 weeks after the post mortem.
Changing your mind
You have the right to change your mind before the post mortem takes place. You should ask the staff member who took your consent or directly contact the histopathology department at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust on 0121 335 8069.
At the earliest the post mortem will take place the morning or the following working day after you have given consent.
Tissue Samples
The Human Tissue Authority required us to obtain your consent to keep the small tissue samples and slides that are taken during the post mortem. These can be important in the future if there is a need to review the findings for medical reasons in light of new information or advances in technology. With your consent the samples and slides will be stored safely in the files of the histopathology department at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.
If you do not wish for us to store these, please not they will only be available to return to you a minimum of 12 weeks after the post mortem. The return or disposal of these samples will be at your own expense.
If you consent to the tissue samples and slides being keep as part of the medical record then tick the box on the form provided.
Organ retention
All organs and tissue are sensitively returned to your baby’s body prior to release for burial or cremation (other than slides and tissue blocks). This may take a few days longer if we need to examine the baby’s brain or other organ for testing. Very occasionally when we release the baby’s body we may need to retain an organ for further testing. If this is required our bereavement team will discuss this with you and your options should you wish for them to returned after testing.
Diagnostic genetic testing
In some cases it is important to undertake diagnostic genetic tests (chromosomes and/or DNA). This may help to provide an explanation for your baby’s death and assist doctors to provide you with a risk of the same problem affecting a future child. A genetics test is only taken if the pathologist determines that it is likely to support a diagnosis.
Keeping tissue for training professionals and research
Samples of tissue, medical images, slides and other relevant information can be a valuable resource for teaching health professionals and for medical research. You may be asked if you would consent to your baby’s samples being used to support this purpose. If you do agree they will still remain available to your family for future diagnostic purposes and will be treated with respect.
Parental consent or nominated person
Usually parents provide consent for a baby’s post mortem. In the absence of a parent(s), and according to the Human Tissue Authority a nominated person in a qualifying relationship’ can be approached.
Further information
If you would like further information on any of the areas discussed above or unclear please ask a member of our team. Please sign the form when you have decided on the level of your consent and you understand this information.
Antenatal Screening Midwives Tel: 02476865177
Delivery Suite Tel: 02476865090
Community Midwives Tel: 02476865022
Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit Tel: 02476865570
Bereavement Office Tel: 02476865012
Chaplaincy Tel: 02476865046