Pregnancy Loss

Pregnancy Loss Research Group

The Pregnancy Loss Research Group was formally established at Cork University Maternity Hospital in 2012 by Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, bringing together a multidisciplinary team of doctors, midwives, nurses, administrative staff, social workers, chaplains, researchers, and parent advocates with a common goal of improving services and supports for people who experience all types of pregnancy loss.

At the Pregnancy Loss Research Group (PLRG), we lead national research to better understand pregnancy loss experiences and impacts, and the development of resources and evidence-based advice and interventions, to improve health care (quality) and health and social outcomes for women, babies and their families. We use a range of approaches, involving quantitative (including audits and reviews), qualitative and mixed-methods.

We research all types of pregnancy and infant loss, including first trimester miscarriage, second trimester miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, multiple pregnancy complications, stillbirth, termination of pregnancy, neonatal death and pregnancy after loss.

Conducting research that is relevant to people with lived experience, practice and policy is central to what we do. We actively collaborate with key organisations and groups to support the conduct and dissemination of our work across Ireland and beyond. We are committed to sharing information about our research, and pregnancy loss more broadly, to break the silence and stigma around pregnancy loss and maximise the impact of our work.

Capacity building is also an important focus of our activities - building research capacity through mentoring student, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, as well as providing education and training for healthcare staff.

Find out more by visiting the Pregnancy Loss Research Group Website.