Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month: Finding Support and Healing
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, This month honors the millions of families who have experienced loss through miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons, or infant death. Pregnancy and infant loss impact so many families. 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. 1% of pregnancies end in stillbirth. Numerous families are faced with the gut-wrenching decision to end a wanted pregnancy due to serious medical concerns for the fetus or expecting mother. Far too many parents say goodbye to their babies shortly after meeting them for the first time.
This month offers an important opportunity to break that silence, raise awareness, and remind grieving parents that they are not alone.
The Impact of Pregnancy and Infant Loss
Pregnancy and infant loss can bring profound sadness, shock, and feelings of isolation. Parents grieve not only the loss of their child but also the hopes and dreams they held for the future. Even though miscarriage and stillbirth affect countless families each year, many people feel pressure to keep their grief private, “move on” quickly, or manage the discomfort of others by not talking about their loss. Furthermore, in today’s political climate where pregnancy loss and decisions around pregnancy termination for medical reasons are restricted and sometimes criminalized, many families are forced to stay silent or quiet about their grief.
This lack of open conversation can make the grief feel invisible, leaving parents and families without the support they need, left to carry their grief alone.
Why Awareness Matters
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month helps:
Acknowledge the grief of parents and families.
Normalize conversations about miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, and TFMR.
Encourage support from friends, loved ones, and mental health professionals.
Build community for those who may otherwise feel alone.
By raising awareness, we create a culture where loss is met with compassion and validation rather than silence. It may be uncomfortable to talk about perinatal loss, but when we are silent about loss, the grief of families goes unacknowledged.
We need to shatter the silence and stigma and surrounding pregnancy and infant loss. This is exactly what Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is all about.
Honoring Loss, Finding Connection
The more we share stories, the more we talk about loss, the more we educate ourselves, the more we break the silence. The more we help others heal. The more we give families space to grieve. The more we connect families to the help they deserve.
So, whether you have personally experienced a loss, know someone who has, or simply want to spread a message of support, consider participating in Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
Four Ways to get involved with Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Participate in the International Wave of Light Campaign. Light a candle at 7pm on October 15th in honor of grieving families. You can use the hashtag #waveoflight to share photos.
Spread awareness. There are informative infographics here which are shareable online or can be printed.
Continue to advocate for reproductive justice.
Seek your own support. If you have experienced a loss and need support, this month can serve as a reminder that you deserve it. Whether through therapy, a support group, or connecting online with other moms who have experienced loss, there are many resources out there to support you. Here are a few suggestions: MISS Foundation, National Share, Star Legacy Foundation. For those in the DC area, here is a great list of local resources.
Finding Support at Dr. Emma Basch & Associates
At Dr. Emma Basch & Associates, we specialize in supporting individuals and families through pregnancy and infant loss, perinatal mental health concerns, and the complexities of grief. Our team of compassionate therapists provides a safe, validating space to help you navigate loss, process emotions, and begin to heal.
If you are seeking pregnancy loss counseling or grief therapy in Washington, D.C., we are here for you.
Reach out to learn more or schedule a consultation.
Author
Dr. Emma Basch is a Perinatal Loss & Grief specialist and licensed clinical psychologist in DC and NY, with PsyPact privileges to offer teletherapy in over 40 states—including MD and VA. She specializes in women’s mental health, with a warm, integrative approach to perinatal care, trauma, fertility challenges, and life transitions.
Dr. Basch sees clients both virtually and in-person sessions.
5506 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 28A
Reach out to schedule with Dr. Basch
(202) 630-5066 | emma.basch@dremmabasch.com
