PREGNANCY LOSS, UPDATED 1ST EDITION

Course overview

Pregnancy loss is often a painful experience that leaves expectant parents with prolonged and complex grief. This grief usually feels, to a degree, as if one has been disenfranchised. Parents are led to feel¿by friends, family, or healthcare professionals¿that the loss was insignificant. They are often encouraged to ¿get on with their lives,¿ move on to another pregnancy, or ¿be grateful for what they have.¿ It seems that the more others minimize the loss, the more intense the pain feels. If nothing else, grieving parents wish others would acknowledge that a life has been lost and that the life had meaning. The purpose of this course is to provide nurses with the knowledge necessary to recognize the various types of pregnancy loss and their causes. Psychological sequelae of pregnancy loss are described, along with helpful interventions, and interventions that should be avoided. With this overview, caregivers should be able to provide sensitive care to families coping with pregnancy loss, which will ultimately enhance their outcomes. The goal of this course is to provide a knowledge base for registered nurses and licensed vocational and practical nurses who care for families experiencing pregnancy loss. The course is appropriate for nurses working in prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum areas.