You are invited to participate in a study of women’s feelings and wishes for their next pregnancy after they have suffered an unexplained stillbirth. We hope to learn how the management of a pregnancy that ends in unexplained stillbirth influences a woman’s wishes for future pregnancy, and how women feel that their next pregnancy should be managed by their doctor or midwife. Any woman who has suffered an unexplained stillbirth is a possible participant in this study.

If you decide to participate, we will ask you to complete a survey. The survey is conducted over the Internet – you will be asked to click on the most suitable response. At some points there is space to add your thoughts and comments. The survey asks some personal details and medical history, including information about previous pregnancies and losses. There are then several sections that ask about your plans for a future pregnancy; or, if you have already become pregnant after the stillbirth, some information about this subsequent pregnancy.

The survey takes between 30 and 45 minutes to complete. There are no right or wrong answers to the questions, and you should be as open and honest as you can. There is always a chance that thinking about the loss of a pregnancy could make you sad or upset – you should consider this before agreeing to enter the study. However, such emotional distress is usually short-lived, and further resources can be found on the websites of SIDS and Kids, SANDS, or the Little Feet Foundation. There are links to these counselling services at the end of this survey.

While the intention of this research study is to improve the understanding of women’s responses to unexplained stillbirth, participating is unlikely to be of any direct benefit to you. The study is anonymous, and any information that is obtained will remain confidential and will not be divulged to people other than the researchers (except as required by law). If you give us your permission by clicking on the button below, we plan to provide an interim report on the results on this website. As well, a full analysis will be offered for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal. In any publication, information will be provided in such a way that you cannot be identified.

Complaints may be directed to the Ethics Secretariat, The University of New South Wales, SYDNEY 2052 AUSTRALIA (phone 02 9385 4234, fax 02 9385 6648, email ethics.sec@unsw.edu.au). Any complaint you make will be treated in confidence and investigated, and you will be informed of the outcome.

The study is completely anonymous and is obviously voluntary. You can withdraw at any time by simply not completing the survey and logging off the website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us. If you have any additional questions later, Dr Stephen Robson (steve.robson@act.gov.au) will be happy to answer them.

If you agree to participate, we recommend that you print a copy of this form.