Nursing Care of Childbearing Families After Previous Perinatal Loss

Abstract

Nurses who care for childbearing families facilitate the family’s adaptation to the arrival of a newborn through assessment of physical, emotional, and psychological needs. After experiencing a perinatal loss, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death, a woman’s perception of pregnancy and of her sense of control in becoming a mother can include fear and anxiety, and she may have significantly different needs than a pregnant woman who has not experienced perinatal loss. In this article, we provide evidence-based information and recommendations for maternal–child nurses caring for childbearing families who are preparing to welcome a new baby (sometimes called a “rainbow baby”) after a previous perinatal loss.