The importance of support networks to assist those who have suffered pregnancy loss has been highlighted in new TCD research.

An estimated 15%-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage or preterm loss.

The study undertaken by TCD researchers at its School of Social Work and Social Policy explored women's experience of the care delivered in rural Irish hospitals at the time of, and following a pregnancy loss and pointed to the need for tailored support services to ease the impact of grief.

Seven out of eight of the women who took part in the research, described how their pregnancy loss was not openly acknowledged, publicly mourned or socially supported.

This type of bereavement can be referred to as 'disenfranchised grief', according to TCD Assistant Professor in Social Work, Dr Trish Walsh, who supervised the research.

The research findings also point to the need for honest and sensitive communication from hospital staff in breaking bad news and providing information to women experiencing pregnancy loss.

Lack of privacy in hospital wards and communal waiting areas and the need for routine follow-up psychosocial support to deal with feelings of grief were also highlighted by participants in the research.

Key recommendations from the study include the need for all Irish hospitals to offer support services following pregnancy loss, both during admission and following discharge from hospital.

The research also highlights the need for non-religious follow-up services, staff training in the emotional aspects of pregnancy loss and a tiered model of care, encompassing information, support, psycho-education and for some, counselling interventions.

"Hospital practices, even in smaller rural settings, can be improved by developing modest but explicit policies which counteract this sense of disenfranchisement, offer follow-up emotional support and address problems within the hospital environment," said Dr Walsh.