National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Honors Families and Highlights the Importance of Compassionate Postpartum Support

[DURHAM, NC] — During National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Family Connects International (Family Connects) is honoring the families who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss and elevating the importance of compassionate, timely support during and after grief.

Pregnancy and infant loss are far more common than many realize. In the United States:

• Approximately 10–20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage
• About 1 in 175 pregnancies ends in stillbirth
• Thousands of families experience infant loss each year, often after returning home from the hospital

Despite its prevalence, pregnancy and infant loss is often deeply isolating, compounded by silence, stigma, and a lack of follow-up care—especially after families leave the hospital.

“Loss changes everything,” said Jade Woodard, Executive Director of Family Connects. “Families who experience pregnancy or infant loss deserve the same level of care, compassion, and connection as any other family navigating the postpartum period.”

Grief is a health issue—not just an emotional one. It can impact mental health and emotional well-being, physical recovery after birth, sense of identity, and family stability and be a risk factor for depression, anxiety, and complicated grief.

Without support, grief can deepen isolation and increase mental health risks—particularly for birthing parents during the postpartum period.

Alongside community partners, Family Connects International supports the delivery of a universal, evidence-based nurse visiting model that strengthens families after birth—including parents who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. Families who experience loss are offered:

• Compassionate, nonjudgmental support.
• Space for grief, emotional validation, and listening.
• Mental health screening for signs of depression, anxiety, or trauma.
• Connection to grief-informed counseling, peer support, and community resources.

“Supporting families after loss is about presence,” said Alain Glen, Chief of Nursing at Family Connects. “It’s about ensuring parents are seen, heard, and connected to care during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.”

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a time to remember, honor, and acknowledge loss—but it is also a call to action. Families deserve systems of care that recognize grief as part of postpartum health, provide follow-up beyond hospital discharge, integrate mental health and community support early, and treat loss with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Grief can feel overwhelming, and support is available. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, confidential support 24/7 by calling or texting 988 or via chat at 988lifeline.org. Additional grief and loss support resources may be available through local health systems and community organizations.

• Category: FCI News, Press Clips