Saving Babies' Lives Project Impact and Results Evaluation: a Mixed Methodology Study

Reducing stillbirth and early neonatal death is a national priority. Best practice and key evidence indicates this is potentially achievable through application of four key interventions within routine maternity care delivered as NHS England's Saving Babies' Lives care bundle. However, adoption of the care bundle by UK maternity services is still in its infancy and there is significant variation in the degree of implementation between and within units. The effectiveness of the care bundle, when implemented as a package, in reducing stillbirth and service delivery has not yet been evaluated. This study aims to evaluate the impact of implementing the care bundle on UK maternity services and perinatal outcomes.

Inclusion criteria

for Maternity Service Users:

• Women who received their antenatal care, delivered and were discharged from the same maternity unit
• Women who have given birth after 28 weeks of gestation

Exclusion criteria

for Maternity Service Users:

• Maternal age ≤ 16 years
• Individuals who cannot understand/not fluent in English (to enable consent without interpreter)
• Multiple pregnancy
• Fetuses known to have any congenital or severe structural abnormalities
• Home births

Inclusion criteria

for Maternity Healthcare Professionals:

• Midwives working before and after implementation of the care bundle (including antenatal ward, antenatal clinic, community-based staff, antenatal assessment unit and labour ward)
• Community midwives working before and after implementation of the care bundle
• Sonographers working before and after implementation of the care bundle
• Junior doctors working before and after implementation of the care bundle
• Consultant obstetricians working before and after implementation of the care bundle
• Clinical Directors and Heads of Midwifery working before and after implementation of the care bundle

Exclusion criteria

for Maternity Healthcare Professionals:

• Staff who were employed after the care bundle was implemented