With your consent, as part of a post-mortem examination, a piece of tissue about the size of a postage stamp or a blood sample can be taken which can then be stored and/or sent to test for conditions in your baby’s DNA, also known as genetic testing. Any samples stored can be sent for testing in the future and can help provide information for future pregnancies.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland human tissue samples can be stored with your consent only. In Scotland, samples automatically form part of the medical record.
Genetic testing may be especially useful if your baby had a condition relating to how cells in his or her body were formed or if the doctors think that you or your partner carry a genetic disorder.
If you think you may have another baby in the future, genetic testing may be particularly useful for assessing the risk of the same thing happening again. Depending on when your baby died, genetic testing may also be able to confirm their gender.