Supporting parents during and after a pregnancy subsequent to a perinatal loss.

Abstract

The experience of perinatal loss can be devastating for couples who want children. The decision and desire to attempt another pregnancy may be too much for parents to bear, yet the majority of women who experience perinatal loss do become pregnant again soon after the loss. A pregnancy after a perinatal loss can be mentally, emotionally, and physically taxing. The anxiety experienced by mothers during a subsequent pregnancy has been documented consistently by investigators, but less is known about the effects of perinatal loss on parenting subsequent children. Perinatal and neonatal nurses play a critical role in supporting parents during and after a subsequent pregnancy and need an understanding of the research to direct their practice.