Therapy for Reproductive Grief
Reproductive grief is the profound, deep, and often silent sadness experienced by individuals and couples facing reproductive challenges and losses. This unique form of grief can stem from a variety of losses, each carrying its own weight and impact.
Types of Reproductive Losses:
Miscarriage: the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks
Stillbirth: the devastating loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy
Infertility: the ongoing struggle to conceive
Failed IVF Treatments: the emotional toll of unsuccessful in vitro fertilization cycles
Ectopic Pregnancy:the loss of a pregnancy where the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus
Termination for Medical Reasons (TFMR): the decision to end a pregnancy due to medical reasons
Preterm Birth and Neonatal Loss: the sorrow and trauma of losing a baby shortly after birth.
Secondary Infertility: the difficulty in conceiving after having a child and/or a previous pregnancy.
Loss of Reproductive Health: the grief associated with losing the ability to conceive due to medical treatments or surgeries, such as hysterectomy or cancer treatment
These are all types of losses that we can talk and process in your time in therapy. We can talk about the complex feelings that come up, try to make sense of them, and give yourself permission to feel them and grieve.
“We can try to analyze grief. We can herd our emotions into clearly labeled stages. We can discuss the science behind the physical pain we’re feeling. But grief is bigger than that, more willful. It follows its own path. Over the years, I’ve learned not to fight my grief but to be mindful of it. To accept it as part of me, just as I accept the creaks and scars, the gray hairs and the lines.”