Background
Miscarriage is a public health issue that affects women all around the world. One out of four women will experience a first-trimester miscarriage in their reproductive life, while at least 1% of couples trying to conceive will experience three or more consecutive miscarriages, commonly defined as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). New international definitions of RPL include those who experience two consecutive pregnancy losses, which is over 6% of women. There is currently no national standard for the management of RPL in Ireland.
Aim
The aim of this project is to evaluate the services provided for those who experience RPL in the Republic of Ireland.
Methods
In order to achieve the overall aim of this project, five inter-related work packages have been developed which consist of the following six studies:
1) A systematic review to identify quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs) of care of RPL
2) An audit of current practices in the Republic of Ireland, in line with the KPIs identified from the systematic review
3) A cohort study will be carried which will assess the management of women with RPL in relation to the KPIs from the systematic review
4) National survey to examine the experience of people who have interacted with the maternity services following RPL
5) A qualitative study will be undertaken to evaluate experiences of relevant stakeholders who provide or engage with the relevant services
6) A health economic analysis will be undertaken to assess the relative merits and infer public preferences for resource allocation for RPL services.
Impact
RPL impacts a significant number of the population and is recognised to have long-lasting effects. Evaluation of current service provision for those who experience RPL, with patient and stakeholder experience included, will inform future developments and may see improved quality of care within the maternity services.
