The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2010) define second trimester miscarriage as pregnancy loss after 12 weeks and before 24 weeks' gestation. A study conducted in a large Dublin maternity hospital reported a rate of second trimester pregnancy loss of 0.8% (Cullen et al, 2017a). The admission to hospital has been identified as a critical part of the women's experience of miscarriage and can greatly influence the women's recovery after a pregnancy loss (Stratton and Lloyd, 2008; Siassakos et al, 2018).
While there is limited research specifically examining parents' experience of hospital care during second trimester miscarriage, there is a body of evidence examining parents' experiences of hospital care before, during and after perinatal loss (Lee, 2012; Downe et al, 2013; Basile and Thorsteinsson, 2015; O'Connell et al, 2016; Siassakos et al, 2018), which helps to inform the discourse on these issues for parents following a second trimester miscarriage. The majority of parents were positive about the quality of care they received from medical staff (Lasker and Toedter, 1994; Lee, 2012; Downe et al, 2013; Basile and Thorsteinsson, 2015; O'Connell et al, 2016; Siassakos et al, 2018) but did report that their distress following miscarriage could be intensified by dissatisfaction with aspects of care (Stratton and Lloyd, 2008). The literature highlights the importance of adequate pain relief, the clinical area in which the women is cared for, memory-making, and follow-up for bereaved parents. This study will explore whether these needs are similar for parents with second trimester miscarriage.
