Traumatic fetal death

Abstract

Trauma during pregnancy increases the mortality risk to both victims: mother and child. The critical care nurse assumes a major role in assessing needs from both the trauma and obstetric perspectives. Collaboration between the critical care and obstetric nurse is essential to meet the complex physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the entire family. A bereavement protocol can be helpful in suggesting specific interventions for long-term follow-up of the family suffering fetal loss.