Pregnancy Loss
Pregnancy Loss
Pregnancy loss may occur in as many as 1 in 4 pregnancies. Despite it being a fairly common experience, pregnancy loss can be isolating. Stories of pregnancy loss are seldom shared, and bereaved parents must navigate their grief, anger, confusion, guilt, shame or other feelings alone. Though some people who experience pregnancy loss may feel relieved or conflicted, all of the authors in this issue of VOICES experienced the loss of a baby from a desired pregnancy. All were distraught by the loss, most were shocked. The stories offer a view into the experiences of bereaved parents, and help us examine how we can better support them.
"This collection of narratives is an ideal starting point for considering how an ethics lens might assist in understanding parents’ experiences with perinatal death. In their narratives, the authors offer vivid descriptions of learning about, coping with, and later integrating perinatal loss into the story of their lives. The narratives offer steps to optimize ethical care and minimize the harm inflicted when perinatal loss occurs."