Perinatal Loss Psychological Service

The Perinatal Loss Psychological Service was set up in the Women's Health Division to offer psychotherapeutic intervention for parents receiving antenatal and postnatal care at UCLH. 

The loss of a baby is a trauma for the family 

Pregnancy and the experience of a new baby is usually a happy time. The loss of a baby can be shocking. It can be traumatic and painful for many people. It can often bring confusing and conflicting feelings. It very often brings feelings of guilt, anger, and feelings of shame. 

It can be difficult to find someone to talk to openly about how you feel. It can even be hard to find words for these feelings. This can lead to a sense of isolation, further complicating the grieving process.  

The Perinatal Loss Psychological Service works closely with the bereavement midwives to help patients to access the service. The service offers psychological input (up to six sessions) for individuals and couples who have experienced a perinatal loss after 16 weeks gestation, including stillbirth, neonatal deaths and termination and in the context of multiple pregnancies.

It is not usually advisable to begin formal 'psychological work' immediately following perinatal loss and therefore patients will usually not be offered an initial meeting within the first six weeks after their loss.

In addition, we understand that parents may not be ready to take up the sessions straight away and provision is made for the sessions to be available for up to six months following the loss.