Psychological Support and Follow Up Care Remain Inadequate After Pregnancy Loss

Introduction: Pregnancy loss affects nearly 25% of recognized pregnancies and can occur through miscarriage, stillbirth, or genetic termination. According to ACOG, miscarriages alone account for 10–20% of these losses. Regardless of cause, pregnancy loss often leads to intense sense of grief, guilt, and stress for parents. While the psychological impacts can be long-lasting, research highlights a lack of adequate support from healthcare providers. This survey aimed to identify the type and extent of support received by expectant parents following pregnancy loss. Methods Participants were recruited from Facebook support groups for those who experienced loss. Eligibility criteria included U.S. residents over 18 who had lost a pregnancy in the last five years. A mixed-methods survey administered via RedCap gathered both quantitative and qualitative data, analyzing demographics, support received, and unmet emotional needs. Results 137 participants met eligibility criteria. The average age was 32.8 years. Most losses occurred before 12 weeks (62.2%). Around 70% felt they received inadequate emotional and follow-up care, and this sentiment did not differ when considering length of time since loss. Desired services included support groups (77.8%), mental health services (67.4%), and patient navigators (61.5%). Thematic analysis revealed unmet needs in emotional and psychological support. Conclusion Our findings highlight significant gaps in support for parents following pregnancy loss. While sufficient and prompt medical care is generally provided, psychological support and follow-up care often seemed to be lacking. Improved training for healthcare providers, standardized protocols, and access to mental health and peer support are critical to addressing these gaps.