Information About Pregnancy Loss for Healthcare Providers

About pregnancy loss for healthcare providers.

Pregnancy loss is often misunderstood, and it can have a profound physical, psychological and economic impact on individuals and society. Families and health care providers alike want to understand why a pregnancy loss occurred, how to prevent it from happening again, and how to deal with their grief.

Unfortunately, there is ongoing national and international debate over definitions, etiology, parental impacts, and prevention opportunities. This page offers evidenced-based resources for clinical management, resources for families, and educational resources for clinical providers.

Clinical Management

Clinical research and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified several factors associated with pregnancy loss:

• Demographic factors including advanced maternal age, advanced paternal age, Black ethnicity (due to the impact of racism) and high female body mass index
• Clinical risk factors including chromosomal abnormalities and infections
• Lifestyle factors including smoking and alcohol consumption
• Environmental factors including air pollution, pesticides, and phthalates

Research has also identified two key activities health care providers can promote to support effective implementation of evidence-based interventions:

• End the silence, stigma, and inequality around pregnancy loss to enhance awareness and understanding
• Use a range of tailored, accessible approaches to educate yourself and engage different audiences with relevant information.

These two clinical publications provide additional information on the clinical management of early pregnancy loss:

• Miscarriage matters: the epidemiological, physical, psychological, and economic costs of early pregnancy loss | The Lancet (2021)
• Early Pregnancy Loss Practice Bulletin | ACOG (2018)

These clinical publications offer additional information for recurrent pregnancy loss and fetal demise:

• Evaluation and treatment of recurrent pregnancy loss: a committee opinion (2012) | American Society for Reproductive Medicine | ASRM
• Management of Stillbirth | ACOG (2020)
• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Below is a list of resources that include printable resources for engaging with families, and online education opportunities for health care providers.

Parental Printable and Educational Resources

• Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Infographics | ReproductiveFacts.org
• Pregnancy & Infant Loss Infographic
• 7 Ways to Support a Grieving Parent
• Effective Strategies for Supporting Families who have experienced an infant or pregnancy loss
• What is Child Trauma? | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Health Care Provider Educational Opportunities

• Perinatal Loss: Clinical and Supportive Care | Postpartum Support International (PSI)
• Perinatal Bereavement Certificate Program | AWHONN
• MOD Professional Education | Perinatal Loss: Supporting Parents and Staff Through Difficult Times