About Us
Introduction
The Australian and New Zealand Stillbirth Alliance (ANZSA) is a member driven organisation focused on preventing stillbirth in Australia and New Zealand.
As the Australian and New Zealand arm of the International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA) we are an alliance of organisations and individuals who collaborate to enhance the conduct of high quality research, promote evidence based maternity care including appropriate bereavement care and to raise awareness of stillbirth.
ANZSA was set up with seed funding from Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Stillbirth is amongst the most devastating events parents and their families may experience in their lives. Many families suffer long lasting effects of grief such as anxiety and the loss of normal psychosocial functioning for many years after a stillbirth. While infant mortality rates have declined, stillbirth rates have not. In some regions the rates of stillbirths appear to be increasing. In Australia and New Zealand approximately seven babies are stillborn every day. For around one third of stillbirths a cause is not found. These unexplained deaths often occur unexpectedly and in an apparently healthy mother and baby.
| There is an urgent need to address the problem of stillbirth. |
ANZSA has grown from the work of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) Perinatal Mortality Group and its Stillbirth Research Collaborative Group and collaboration with organisations including, SIDS and Kids, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support (SANDS) and the Stillbirth Foundation Australia. ANZSA also collaborates with the Interdisciplinary Maternal Perinatal Australasian Clinical Trials Network (IMPACT) and the Women and Babies Health and Wellbeing: Action through Trials (WOMBAT Collaboration). In October 2007 ANZSA became the first regional office of the International Stillbirth Alliance.
Vision
The vision of ANZSA is to reduce the number of stillbirths in Australia and New Zealand and to ensure families receive the best possible care and support around the time of stillbirth.
Mission
ANZSA's mission is to promote the conduct of high quality collaborative research and best clinical practice for stillbirth in Australia and New Zealand, through the establishment of clinical networks and partnerships with parent organisations, government, professional colleges and other relevant national and international organisations.
For more on ANZSA's guiding principles and strategic goals over the next five years please visit our strategic direction.