Providing care to couples experiencing pregnancy loss

Abstract

This article discusses and evaluates the challenging and complex role of nurses and midwives in providing supportive care for couples after pregnancy loss. A planned pregnancy is usually a positive experience. However, some couples may experience pregnancy loss, which causes grief. While women may be severely affected, partners’ experiences are complicated by their role in caring for the grieving woman and their own experiences of grief. Nurses and midwives experience challenges when providing care, as pregnancy loss is emotional, entangling the joyous expectation of the start of life with the sorrow of a sudden end of life.