Coping with perinatal death

Abstract

After the death of a newborn baby, parents experience a grieving process much the same as any other form of grief. This process should be recognized as a normal event. It may be especially traumatic when siblings must share in the process. Parents go through the various stages of grief. The health care provider should fulfill his or her role in the grieving process by recognizing the stages of grief and providing help and support to the family at appropriate times. From the time of the baby's death until many months after, health professionals should help make the grieving process more tolerable.