Stillbirth and mental health

Women Veterans

Stillbirth and mental health

A stillbirth is the loss of a pregnancy after 20 weeks. At this point in a pregnancy, many women have felt their babies move inside them and feel strongly bonded to their babies. If you’re grieving someone you love but haven’t met, it can be difficult to console yourself with positive memories. Sometimes the process of delivering a stillborn baby can be traumatic.

After a stillbirth, seeing other babies or pregnant women can become painful reminders of the loss. This can lead to social isolation. The sense of isolation can be intensified if people who want to be supportive seem not to understand what stillbirth is like.

Many women experience depression or posttraumatic symptoms after a stillbirth. If you’ve had a stillbirth and are feeling distressed, consider speaking with your primary care provider or mental health clinician about counseling and other treatment options.

Related Links

• Mental health while planning a pregnancy
• Mental health during and after pregnancy
• Breastfeeding and mental health
• Miscarriage and mental healthi
• Ectopic pregnancy and mental health

return to top