RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

A selected list of recommended readings from the psychological and medical research literature relevant to pregnancy loss are provided, as well as a list of web-sites appropriate for patients and providers.The references listed in this section represent a selection of relevant literature intended to supplement the materials presented in this curriculum. This does not represent a systematic or comprehensive review.

Psychological Readings (Research and Applied)

  1. Adolfsson, A. (2011). Meta-analysis to obtain a scale of psychological reaction after perinatal loss: focus on miscarriage. Psychology research and behavior management, 4, 29.
  2. Badenhorst, W., Riches, S., Turton, P., & Hughes, P. (2006). The psychological effects of stillbirth and neonatal death on fathers: Systematic review. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 27(4), 245-256.
  3. Brier, N. (2008). Grief following miscarriage: a comprehensive review of the literature. Journal of Women's Health, 17(3), 451-464.
  4. Burden, C., Bradley, S., Storey, C., Ellis, A., Heazell, A. E., Downe, S., ... & Siassakos, D. (2016). From grief, guilt pain and stigma to hope and pride–a systematic review and meta-analysis of mixed-method research of the psychosocial impact of stillbirth. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 16(1), 9.
  5. Campbell-Jackson, L., & Horsch, A. (2014). The psychological impact of stillbirth on women: A systematic review. Illness, Crisis & Loss, 22(3), 237-256.
  6. Daugirdaitė, V., van den Akker, O., & Purewal, S. (2015). Posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic stress disorder after termination of pregnancy and reproductive loss: a systematic review. Journal of pregnancy, 2015.
  7. Ellis, A., Chebsey, C., Storey, C., Bradley, S., Jackson, S., Flenady, V., ... & Siassakos, D. (2016). Systematic review to understand and improve care after stillbirth: a review of parents’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 16(1), 16.
  8. Gaudet, C., Séjourné, N., Camborieux, L., Rogers, R., & Chabrol, H. (2010). Pregnancy after perinatal loss: association of grief, anxiety and attachment. Journal of reproductive and infant psychology, 28(3), 240-251.
  9. Geller, P.A. (2012). The role of emerging technology in women's response to pregnancy loss. Expert Review of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 7(1), 19-23.
  10. Geller, P.A., Kerns, D., & Klier, C.M. (2004). Anxiety following miscarriage and the subsequent pregnancy: A review of the literature and future directions. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 56: 35-45.
  11. Geller, P.A., Psaros, C., Kerns, D. (2006). Web-based resources for health care providers and women following pregnancy loss. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, &Neonatal Nursing, 35(4):523-532.
  12. Geller, P. A., Psaros, C. & Levine Kornfield, S. V. (2010). Satisfaction with pregnancy loss aftercare: Are women getting what they want? Archives of Women's Mental Health, 13(2):111-124.
  13. Gong, X., Hao, J., Tao, F., Zhang, J., Wang, H., & Xu, R. (2013). Pregnancy loss and anxiety and depression during subsequent pregnancies: data from the C-ABC study. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 166(1), 30-36.
  14. Hunter, A., Tussis, L., & MacBeth, A. (2017). The presence of anxiety, depression and stress in women and their partners during pregnancies following perinatal loss: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 223, 153-164.
  15. Kingdon, C., Givens, J. L., O'donnell, E., & Turner, M. (2015). Seeing and holding baby: systematic review of clinical management and parental outcomes after stillbirth. Birth, 42(3), 206-218.
  16. Klier, C.M., Geller, P.A., & Ritsher, J.B. (2002). Affective disorders in the aftermath of a miscarriage: A comprehensive review. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 5: 129-149. Link to PubMed Abstract
  17. Kohn, I., Moffitt, P., & Wilkins, I.A. (2000). A Silent Sorrow Pregnancy Loss: Guidance and Support for You and Your Family. New York: Routledge.
  18. Legendre, G., Gicquel, M., Lejeune, V., Iraola, E., Deffieux, X., Séjourné, N., ... & Descamps, P. (2014). Psychology and pregnancy loss. Journal de gynecologie, obstetrique et biologie de la reproduction, 43(10), 908-917.
  19. Limbo, R.K. & Kobler, K. (2013). Meaningful Moments: Ritual and Reflection When a Child Dies. LaCrosse, WI: Gunderson Lutheran Medical Foundation, Inc.
  20. Limbo, R.K. & Wheeler, S.R. (2003). When a Baby Dies: A Handbook for Healing and Helping. La Crosse, WI: Bereavement Services.
  21. Mills, T. A., Ricklesford, C., Cooke, A., Heazell, A. E. P., Whitworth, M., & Lavender, T. (2014). Parents’ experiences and expectations of care in pregnancy after stillbirth or neonatal death: a metasynthesis. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 121(8), 943-950.
  22. Navidian, A., Saravani, Z., & Shakiba, M. (2017). Impact of psychological grief counseling on the severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers after stillbirths. Issues in mental health nursing, 38(8), 650-654.
  23. Qu, F., Wu, Y., Zhu, Y. H., Barry, J., Ding, T., Baio, G., ... & Hardiman, P. J. (2017). The association between psychological stress and miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific reports, 7(1), 1731.
  24. Slade, A., Cohen, L. J., Sadler, L. S., & Miller, M. (2009). The psychology and psychopathology of pregnancy. Handbook of infant mental health, 3, 22-39.
  25. Toedter, J., Lasker, J.N., & Hettie JEM Janssen, L. (2001). International comparison of studies using the perinatal grief scale: a decade of research on pregnancy loss. Death studies, 25(3), 205-228.
  26. Turton, P., Hughes, P., Evans, C. D. H., & Fainman, D. (2001). Incidence, correlates and predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder in the pregnancy after stillbirth. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 178(6), 556-560.
  27. Verdon, C., Meunier, S., & Dubeau, D. (2017). Women’s persistent depressive and perinatal grief symptoms following a miscarriage: the role of childlessness and satisfaction with healthcare services. Archives of women's mental health, 20(5), 655-662.
  28. Wee, K. Y., Skouteris, H., Pier, C., Richardson, B., & Milgrom, J. (2011). Correlates of ante-and postnatal depression in fathers: a systematic review. Journal of affective disorders, 130(3), 358-377.
  29. Wenzel, A. (2017). Cognitive behavioral therapy for pregnancy loss. Psychotherapy, 54(4), 400.

Medical Readings (Research)

  1. Blue, N. R., Page, J. M., & Silver, R. M. (2018, December). Genetic abnormalities and pregnancy loss. In Seminars in perinatology. WB Saunders.
  2. Branch, D.W., Gibson, M., & Silver, R.M. (2010). Recurrent miscarriage. The New England Journal of Medicine, 363, 1740-1747.  
  3. Brezina, P. R., & Kutteh, W. H. (2013). Recurrent early pregnancy loss. In Clinical Reproductive Medicine and Surgery (pp. 197-208). Springer, New York, NY.
  4. Fretts, R.C. (2005). Etiology and prevention of stillbirth. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 193:1923-1935.
  5. Lee, R. M., & Silver, R. M. (2000). Recurrent pregnancy loss: summary and clinical recommendations. In Seminars in reproductive medicine (Vol. 18, No. 04, pp. 433-440). Copyright 2000 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: 1 (212) 584-4662.
  6. Page, J. M., & Silver, R. M. (2016). Genetic causes of recurrent pregnancy loss. Clinical obstetrics and gynecology, 59(3), 498-508.
  7. Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2012). Evaluation and treatment of recurrent pregnancy loss: a committee opinion. Fertility and sterility, 98(5), 1103-1111.
  8. Romero, S. T., Geiersbach, K. B., Paxton, C. N., Rose, N. C., Schisterman, E. F., Branch, D. W., & Silver, R. M. (2015). Differentiation of genetic abnormalities in early pregnancy loss. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 45(1), 89-94.
  9. Shahine, L., & Lathi, R. (2015). Recurrent pregnancy loss: evaluation and treatment. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics, 42(1), 117-134.
  10. Silver, R.M. (2007). Fetal Death. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 109: 153-167.
  11. Silver, R.M. & Branch, D.W. (2007). Sporadic and recurrent pregnancy loss. In E.A. Reece & J.C. Hobbins (Eds.), Clinical Obstetrics: The fetus and mother. Third Edition, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 143-160.
  12. Silver, R.M., Varner, M.V., Reddy, U., Goldenberg, R., Pinar, H., Conway, D., et al. (2007). Work-up of stillbirth: a review of the evidence. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 196:433-44.

Recommended Websites

Geller, Psaros & Kerns (2006) recommend the following websites underneath pertaining to pregnancy loss selected for clarity and quality of information. A table summarizing the characteristics of the websites that is suitable for distribution is available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00065.x.
Note that many of these sites also provide timely medical and other information for healthcare professionals.

  1. American Pregnancy Association
  2. American Society for Reproductive Medicine
  3. MISS Foundation
  4. Postpartum Support International

Specialty Certification in Perinatal Loss Care

The National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN) is offering a new certification: CPLC (Certified in Perinatal Loss Care). Professions across varied disciplines (e.g., psychology, medicine, social work, clergy, nursing) who work within a healthcare environment to help to facilitate care of patients experiencing a pregnancy loss or infant death are eligible for certification. See: http://www.nbchpn.org/DisplayPage.aspx?Title=Perinatal%20Loss%20Overview