Playtimes HK Magazine Winter Issue 2018/2019 | Page 42

maternity In addition to forming the support groups, the two began lobbying the government and making press statements with the hope of improving the way mothers who experience the loss of their babies are treated in Hong Kong. “A baby born in silence is also a human, my baby deserves the right to be respected by others,” shares Sharon. The thought of a miscarriage or a stillborn child is enough to bring any of us to tears. Those who have not been through either experience can only imagine how shattering it is to have elation about your growing baby turn to grief. Now imagine going through a stillbirth with a complete lack of information about the process, or the options available to you; your husband not being with you while you go through the delivery; the nurses and medical staff not being trained to handle the physical and emotional needs of stillbirth parents and there being no guidelines for the medical staff about the subject. Sharon and Teresa explain how in Hong Kong there are no cuddle cots available (this applies to both public and private hospitals). There are no special fridges for stillborn babies; they are put inside the same fridge as a deceased adult - using the same temperature, but due to the tiny size of stillborn babies, this results in the baby shrinking and freezing. There is no memorial box, no footprint, no picture, no size measurements are given to stillbirth parents and the baby has no proper clothing at all. Stillbirth parents cannot get a birth certificate for their baby. An incinerator for a baby is not available. The hospital allows no time for parents to grieve or create special memories of their lost baby. In fact, parents are most often rushed into making decisions. Mothers cannot take maternity leave if they lose their babies before the 28th week of their pregnancy and no leave 40 www.playtimes.com.hk is granted in Hong Kong for grieving. For parents who lose their baby before week 24 the situation is even worse. No-midwife or doctor is provided to assist with the delivery process. The mother is not eligible to go to the delivery suite to deliver her baby, instead she is put into a gynaecological ward without a trained midwife and the parents receive no briefing on the induced labour process. Shockingly, a baby under the 24th week of pregnancy is considered “clinical waste”. Parents of a baby that dies during the 24th week of pregnancy cannot legally take the remains out of the hospital for cremation or burial. To put this into perspective, in the UK the cornerstone of bereavement care lies in the understanding that the care given around the time of a miscarriage or stillbirth can set the stage for the family's entire grieving process. Women are able to have a partner, relative or friend with them at all times. Many units have double bereavement rooms or, at the very least, a single room with a comfortable chair and nearby facilities for men's use. Parents have the opportunity to create memories of their baby, take photos, wash and dress the baby, take hand and foot prints, and spend time with the baby, even taking him or her home should they wish without worrying about the baby deteriorating in condition due to the availability of cooling "cuddle cots". There is a dedicated mortuary fridge near the ward, meaning parents never have to go to the mortuary to see their baby, and the baby remains close should parents want more time with the baby. And in the UK, if the baby is over 24 weeks gestation it is classed as a stillbirth, given a medical certificate so that it is registered as such and the parents are given the choice to make their own funeral arrangements, or to let the hospital arrange either a burial or cremation as required by law. Although the pregnancy will not be considered technically a stillbirth, nor is there a legal requirement for burial or cremation, the ethos is no different when under 24 weeks. In April of this year the Hon Jeremy Tam questioned the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, who oversee cremation and burials, about the matter. His questions and the responses from the secretary of the FEHD can be found on: www. info.gov.hk/gia/general/201804/11/ P2018041100538.htm In Carrie Lam’s 2018 Policy Address she also addressed the matter. “We fully understand the worries and anxieties of parents who may encounter difficulties in arranging proper burial or cremation of their (baby's body). In this connection, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the HA have already implemented various administrative measures to facilitate the handling of (a baby's body). The Government is examining proposals to further improve such arrangements in a holistic manner, including provision of facilities.” www.policyaddress.gov. hk/2018/eng/policy_ch06.html Teresa and Sharon recently met with the government and found the meeting to be positive. A solution has been proposed that changes the description “medical waste” to something more dignified and research has begun on importing baby cremators from overseas. Other suggestions have been put forward, but Teresa feels that there is still a lack of understanding regarding front-line medical staff and their handling of the matter. Since meeting Sharon and Tracey, Lucy has committed herself and her staff to helping them improve the way the public hospitals treat mothers, and to help provide parents with literature and information. Lucy recently set up a mental health charity, Mind HK and has offered this as a platform to support the cause, with the charity agreeing to host a perinatal psychiatry section on their website. Lucy has also managed to secure support from the Royal College of Gynaecologists in the UK (RCOG), the