A post-mortem is a medical examination of your baby’s body. The examination is carried out a specialist doctor called a perinatal pathologist who will try to find out the reason for your baby’s death.
Usually, a senior health professional will talk with you about having a post-mortem examination. A post-mortem examination cannot be done without your consent 1. You can choose to have a full or a limited post-mortem (see below). An examination of your placenta (the part of a woman’s womb that nurtures the baby during pregnancy) can also provide important information about the cause of death.
The choice about having a post-mortem is very personal. Only you can decide what to do.
In some limited circumstances, a post-mortem can be ordered without parental consent, by a coroner (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or procurator fiscal (Scotland).
If you consent to a post-mortem, you will still be able to see your baby in hospital until the time of the post-mortem. You will sometimes be able to take your baby home following the birth before the post mortem, but it is important to check if this is possible with the team looking after you.
When the time comes for the post-mortem examination, hospital staff will take your baby to a mortuary. Keepsakes such as soft toys and blankets can stay with your baby, and your baby will be well looked after and treated with respect. You will be able to see your baby again, if you wish, after the examination has been completed. Some parents choose to say goodbye to their baby before the post mortem. Ask staff any questions you have and they will be able to help.
It was upsetting to think someone we didn’t know would operate on our baby, but it felt like we owed it to him to understand what had happened. – Bereaved mother