{"id":23532,"date":"2025-10-04T08:00:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-04T13:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/?p=23532"},"modified":"2026-05-18T19:36:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T00:36:59","slug":"le-deuil-de-la-fausse-couche","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/fr\/miscarriage-grief\/","title":{"rendered":"L'accompagnement du deuil reproductif : Ce que vous pourriez ressentir et dont vous pourriez avoir besoin face \u00e0 une perte p\u00e9rinatale\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are approximately 2.4 million miscarriages<\/a> and stillbirths<\/a> in the U.S. each year, which means that most women of childbearing age are likely to either experience perinatal loss or know someone else who has gone through it. In fact<\/a>, miscarriage, which is defined as the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation, affects between 10% and 20% of known pregnancies. Stillbirth, which is the loss of a child between 20 weeks gestation and delivery, occurs<\/a> in 1 out of 177 pregnancies in America (0.5%). In this article, we will discuss perinatal loss, which includes miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death, which is the death of a baby in the first 28 days after birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, many medical providers are not equipped with the training necessary to sensitively and effectively care for patients facing perinatal loss. In fact, some women have expressed that they felt like their experience was downplayed or inadequately acknowledged by their doctor. While perinatal loss is a reality that healthcare professionals face on a regular basis (potentially making it seem less significant to them), the personal nature of the loss for expectant parents (as well as the often unexpected timing) can lead to serious grief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When grieving parents are not met with the care and guidance they need during their time of loss, they may experience complicated grief, because they don’t have the necessary tools to process their grief. This reality reveals the need for healthcare professionals to be informed about perinatal loss and prepared to help parents experiencing loss in a holistic way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common responses to perinatal loss & infertility: The effects of trauma<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As with any type of loss or suffering, the way each person responds to perinatal loss is unique and dependent on many interacting factors. Specifically, though, miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death can have profound consequences because of the way it impacts a person\u2019s neuropsychological state [1]. One mental health professional whose focus is to help couples navigate the process of reproductive grief asserts<\/a> that reproductive loss will affect a couple\u2019s expectations about the future, and may even cause ontological death, which is a disruption of the dreams inherent to a person\u2019s identity (such as parenthood). The Institute of Reproductive Grief Care has found<\/a> that 60% of people who have experienced perinatal loss will face depression, anxiety, or PTSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Institute of Reproductive Grief Care has found that 60% of people who have experienced perinatal loss will face depression, anxiety, or PTSD.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, trauma experienced due to perinatal loss can dysregulate the HPA axis<\/a>, which can disrupt the hippocampus (and cause neurotransmitter imbalances). Depending on the severity of the trauma and the effectiveness of interventions received, a person may experience memory impairment, attention deficits, and emotional imbalances. They may struggle to process their experience and find themselves \u201cstuck\u201d in their grief. Some common experiences of people facing perinatal loss include postpartum depression<\/a>, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and disenfranchised grief<\/a>. In fact, women experiencing perinatal loss are four times as likely<\/a> to screen positively for depression and seven times as likely to screen positively for PTSD [2].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Postpartum Depression<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In an earlier Natural Womanhood article<\/a>, we outlined potential causes of postpartum depression (PPD), which might include \u201ca combination of genetics, the physical changes a woman undergoes after giving birth (especially hormonal changes, such as seriously low progesterone), \u2026and the difficulties\/life changes that come from caring for a newborn.\u201d While a mother experiencing perinatal loss is not living with the same realities as a mother of a newborn, her body is still undergoing many of the same biological processes. This, coupled with the grief she is experiencing, makes it far more likely that she will experience PPD [2].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also commonly affects people who have experienced infant loss. In fact, according to Dr. Clay Brigance<\/a>, rates of PTSD for those who\u2019ve experienced infant loss are as high as 43%, despite the population rate being 2-3%. Because trauma evokes a physiological response that impacts how the brain responds to stress, it may have long-term effects on how individuals cope with stress. In parents who have experienced perinatal loss, PTSD could be experienced as hyperarousal, intrusive memories, and avoidance. Even if they bring home a healthy baby after experiencing loss, it is not uncommon to continue experiencing and responding to fears from the past. For example, a father who\u2019s previously experienced the death of a child might anxiously wake up multiple times per night to make sure his baby is still there or hasn\u2019t stopped breathing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disenfranchised Grief<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, it is worth noting that perinatal loss is often experienced as disenfranchised grief, or grief that cannot be publicly mourned. All too often, outsiders may struggle to respond to the grief of bereaved parents. And, because they don\u2019t know how to help, they may not acknowledge the situation at all. This can lead suffering parents to feel even more isolated,<\/a> and feel as though they must face their grief alone, which can exacerbate symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realities of perinatal loss that may not be considered<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While psychological realities are important to be aware of, many people experience enhanced grief and mental health symptoms because they were unprepared for the physical realities of perinatal loss. Sometimes their lack of awareness is because of their doctors\u2019 intentions to \u201cprotect\u201d them (because they think information about what is to come will cause more harm than good). However, in the case of perinatal loss, knowledge is power, and equipping grieving parents with information about what is to come will enable them to prepare well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of perinatal loss, knowledge is power, and equipping grieving parents with information about what is to come will enable them to prepare well.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Early loss<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The physical symptoms of early pregnancy loss will vary, depending on the gestation of the pregnancy when it ends. The mother may experience a myriad of symptoms<\/a>, including but not limited to, light to heavy bleeding, cramping, and discharge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later loss<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the loss was later in pregnancy, the mother will likely experience symptoms similar to those experienced after a healthy delivery (which can last for 6 weeks or more). These can include bleeding<\/a>, soreness, discharge, cramps, hemorrhoids, incontinence, hair loss, skin changes, sore breasts, and weight changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, women experiencing a later loss (including the second trimester) are likely to begin lactating, and may even have a full milk supply come in 3-5 days after birth. If women are unaware of this, they may come home after delivery grieving, only to be surprised by their incoming milk supply, which can serve as an unwelcome reminder of the loss of their baby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, women (and their partners) may experience a variety of emotions due to fluctuating hormones and grief, which may be further impacted by the various responses from family, friends and their community. Grieving parents may also struggle spiritually after loss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What grieving parents need<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After experiencing perinatal loss, the best way (for medical professionals, mental health care professionals, or someone else) to care for grieving parents is to equip them with responsive care and supplies. Project Poppyseed<\/a>, an organization committed to researching perinatal loss, offering education, and responding effectively to parents, suggests that hospitals and women\u2019s health clinics provide grieving parents with a perinatal loss care package that includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n