King's College London

The emotional, social, and economic impact of stillbirths or miscarriages before birth is profound, prompting the UK government to commit to a 50% reduction in stillbirths by 2025. While progress has been made after 28 weeks, losses between 20 and 28 weeks persist at a rate of 1,600 annually. MiNESS 20-28 seeks to address a critical issue—the high incidence of pregnancy losses between 20 and 28 weeks—by identifying modifiable factors influenced by maternal behaviour and healthcare provision.

In response to a research priority setting exercise by the Stillbirth Priority Setting Partnership, our team conducted a comprehensive study involving 291 women who experienced late stillbirths. This study revealed actionable factors such as sleep positions, smoking, and caffeine intake, influencing stillbirths. Our findings have already shaped national and international guidelines. Building on our success, we are now extending our study to pregnancies between 20 and 28 weeks. In collaboration with bereaved parents, we've refined our approach, incorporating miscarriages at 20-22 weeks, often overlooked in UK stillbirth statistics. We aim to unveil crucial insights that will inform clinical guidelines and transform antenatal care.