Pregnancy After Loss

By Erin Weaver, PsyD, HSPP

March is now Pregnancy After Loss Awareness month as a way to acknowledge the difficult journey of balancing joy and grief during a subsequent pregnancy after the loss of a previous one. Approximately one in four pregnancies ends in a miscarriage, impacting a large portion of  hopeful parents. Moreover, 50-80% of women who experience prenatal loss become pregnant again within a year and a half of their loss. The baby after a loss is often called a “rainbow baby” with the intent of helping shed light that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the storm that came before it. 

Parents who are pregnant again after loss are at an increased risk of perinatal and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. Moments that are supposed to be exciting, such as ultrasounds, are often faced with fear and trepidation. Common experiences expecting parents may have are

• Decreased Confidence in the Body: Parents may fear the ability of the body to successfully carry a baby to term. This may lead to more checking behaviors, such as checking for spotting or monitoring the fetal heartbeat more frequently.
•  Feelings of Guilt: Parents may experience guilt for joy or excitement over this next pregnancy. 
• Feelings of Isolation: Parents may feel isolated in their experience. Although 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss, it is often not talked about. Parents may not feel comfortable sharing about this pregnancy or talking about their feelings because they feel alone in the process. 

Each parent's journey in coping with pregnancy after loss is different. Suggestions for support include:

• Connecting with Others Who Have Experienced Pregnancy After Loss: Connecting with others who have had similar experiences can decrease the feelings of isolation. Postpartum Support International offers a variety of support groups. 
• Seek Professional Mental Health Support: Meet with a perinatal trained clinician to help support and monitor symptoms. 
• Honor Your Previous Loss Through Meaningful Actions: Create a meaningful way to honor your first pregnancy, such as planting a tree or lighting a candle, if that feels like it is important to you. There is no right or wrong way to process loss.

Pregnancy after loss is a unique and difficult time period marked with excitement and worry. The rainbow, does not erase the storm.