Myth: People don’t want to talk about their pregnancy or baby loss

Parents want their loss to be acknowledged and appreciate opportunities to talk about their baby, even years later. This helps reduce stigma and normalise grief (37,38).

Avoiding the topic of pregnancy loss often leads bereaved parents to feelings of isolation, and sometimes, disenfranchised grief. The absence of social recognition and support from others can intensify bereaved parents suffering, contributing to worse mental health outcomes (13–16).

Increased public awareness through educational campaigns, as well availing of support groups that encourage conversations about pregnancy loss has shown to improve psychological well-being for parents (16).

References

(13) Cacciatore J. Psychological effects of stillbirth. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. 2013;18(2):76–82.

(14) Cacciatore J. The unique experiences of women and their families after the death of a baby. Social Work in Health Care. 2010;49(2):134–48.

(15) Pollock D, Pearson E, Cooper M, Ziaian T, Foord C, Warland J. Voices of the unheard: A qualitative survey exploring bereaved parents experiences of stillbirth stigma. Women and Birth. 2020;33(2):165–74.

(16) Pollock D, Ziaian T, Pearson E, Cooper M, Warland J. Understanding stillbirth stigma: A scoping literature review. Women and Birth. 2020;33(3):207–18.

(37) Farrales LL, Cacciatore J, Jonas-Simpson C, Dharamsi S, Ascher J, Klein MC. What bereaved parents want health care providers to know when their babies are stillborn: a community-based participatory study. BMC Psychology. 2020;8(1):18.

(38) Nuzum D, Meaney S, O’Donoghue K. The impact of stillbirth on bereaved parents: A qualitative study. PLoS One. 2018;13(1):e0191635.