Why Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month Matters

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. For many, it’s just another awareness campaign on the calendar. But for those who will experience pregnancy loss, miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, this month holds deep meaning.

It’s about more than numbers. It’s about honoring stories, breaking silence, and building communities of support.

The Weight Behind the Statistics

We often hear the statistic: 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in loss.
On paper, it’s a fraction. In real life, it means that nearly everyone knows someone who has walked this path — whether they realize it or not.

Behind every number is:

• A baby who was loved and longed for.

• Parents who carry grief in their hearts.

• Families forever changed.

Awareness Month creates space to remind the world that this grief is real, valid, and deserving of compassion.

Why Talking About Loss Is So Hard

Pregnancy loss has long been treated as something private, even shameful. Many parents are told not to share until after the first trimester, leaving them isolated if they do experience a loss.

Even when they want to share, people around them may not know what to say. Silence often follows, and that silence can be more painful than the loss itself.

Awareness Month challenges that silence. It opens the door to conversations that validate grief and honor babies gone too soon.

Breaking the Silence = Breaking Shame

One of the greatest fears grieving parents have is that their baby will be forgotten. By naming the baby, lighting a candle, or simply acknowledging the loss, we give love a place to live.

Awareness Month matters because it:

• Normalizes the conversation. Talking about loss helps families feel less alone.

• Reduces stigma. Shame thrives in silence — awareness shines a light.

• Invites support. Friends and family learn how to show up in meaningful ways.

Why This Month Matters for Families

For parents, October offers a sacred opportunity to grieve openly, share stories, and connect with others who understand. Events like the Wave of Light on October 15th — where candles are lit around the world at 7 p.m. — remind families that they are part of a global community of remembrance.

It matters because:

• Every baby deserves to be remembered.

• Every parent deserves to be supported.

• Every story deserves to be honored.

Why This Month Matters for Providers

Doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, and therapists walk alongside families during these heartbreaking moments. For providers, Awareness Month is a reminder that:

• Words matter. Trauma-informed language can make all the difference.

• Compassion fatigue is real — and providers need support too.

• Resources exist to help providers show up with both skill and humanity.

By paying attention during this month, providers can strengthen their ability to offer care that is both clinically sound and deeply compassionate.

Awareness Beyond October

While October shines a spotlight on pregnancy and infant loss, families live with this grief every day of the year. Awareness Month matters because it jumpstarts conversations — but the real work is keeping those conversations alive.

Remembering due dates.
Sending messages on anniversaries.
Continuing to honor babies long after the first weeks of grief.

Awareness is not a month. It’s a commitment to remembering, supporting, and walking alongside grieving families.

A Personal Note

As a therapist who specializes in maternal and perinatal mental health, I’ve sat with parents who feel invisible in their grief. I’ve seen the relief in their eyes when someone finally says, “Your baby mattered. Your grief is real.”

Awareness Month matters because it tells families everywhere: You are not alone.

Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month matters because families matter. Babies matter. Stories matter.

This October, whether you are a parent who has experienced loss, a friend supporting someone you love, or a provider working with families — take a moment to remember, honor, and speak their names.

🌸 If you’ve experienced loss, therapy can help.
You don’t have to carry this grief by yourself. Contact me here.