Beyond Condolences: The Mental Health Crisis of Perinatal Loss and the need for Legislative Action in Alberta
Recently, on August 22, many families celebrated Rainbow Baby Day, honoring children born after loss—the “rainbow after the storm”—reminding us of hope after heartbreak.
Perinatal loss—the death of a baby during pregnancy, at birth, or within the first days or weeks of life—is a devastating experience that reshapes the lives of those who endure it. It includes miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death. For many, this heartbreak is also compounded by the difficult journey of infertility. The struggle to conceive can be an emotional marathon, and when that long-awaited pregnancy ends in loss, the psychological toll is devastating. While often spoken about in hushed tones or avoided altogether, the impact of this loss reverberates far beyond the hospital walls in a sorrow that can endure for years. The emotional, psychological, and physical toll can be overwhelming, yet perinatal bereavement remains one of the most under-recognized mental health crises in our healthcare system, especially in our provincial health care system.
The stigma and silence surrounding pregnancy and infant loss contribute to an enduring misconception: that grief in these cases is somehow ‘less real’ or ‘short-lived’—perhaps because the loss is assumed to be “replaceable” by having another child. In reality, parents and birthing individuals face an intense and complicated grieving process. Research consistently shows that perinatal loss significantly increases the risk of depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and even suicidal ideation (1,2,3). This research represents real families, often left to navigate their pain alone in a system that offers condolences but very little concrete mental health support.
While the heartbreak of perinatal loss cannot be erased, the way we respond as a society matters deeply. Currently, in Alberta, support for those experiencing pregnancy and infant loss remains fragmented and insufficient. Counseling services, if available at all, often come with long wait times or financial barriers, and mental health strategies seldom include provisions specific to perinatal grief. Additionally, many bereavement programs are only grassroots organizations and may not have the resources to support the growing demand for perinatal loss care (4). Often, families are left to navigate the trauma on their own, and unlike a physical wound, this grief does not heal with time or rest.
Ontario recognized this gap a decade ago when it passed Bill 141, the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness, Research and Care Act (2015). This landmark legislation mandated the Ministry of Health to undertake research and develop programs specifically focused on supporting families affected by pregnancy loss and infant death.” Bill 141 called for concrete action through research and program development, laying the groundwork for a more compassionate and evidence-based approach to care (5). Ontario has actually been at the forefront of perinatal loss advocacy for decades. In 1992, The PAIL Network—the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network—was founded with the goal of addressing the emotional and psychological impact of pregnancy and infant loss, offering peer support programs and conducting needs assessments.
The need for PAIL’s services continues to grow. In the 2024/2025 year alone, their 1:1 phone support program provided over 800 sessions to grieving families, with both intakes and referrals steadily increasing, reflecting the ongoing demand for accessible and compassionate support for those experiencing perinatal loss. Building on this commitment, Ontario has continued to lead in reducing barriers for grieving families by eliminating fees for stillbirth registrations and streamlining processes for obtaining commemorative documents. One transformative measure was the “Stillbirth Certificate Package” in which families who experienced a still birth any time after 1994 can request a memorial certificate and still birth registration. These steps acknowledge that dignity and recognition are essential components of the healing process, ensuring that families receive both practical support and emotional validation (6).
Alberta, like other provinces, can look to Ontario as a model for comprehensive perinatal bereavement care. Introducing a bill similar to Ontario’s Bill 141 would allow Alberta to establish a provincial framework focused on perinatal bereavement and mental health. Such a framework should include accessible counseling services, specialized mental health supports integrated into prenatal and postnatal care, and education for healthcare providers to better address the emotional needs of patients experiencing loss. Equally important is funding for research, so we can better understand the long-term psychological impact and design interventions that truly help.
Grief after perinatal loss does not disappear with time; it requires care, understanding, and resources. This is not a private sorrow to be endured silently—it is a public health issue, one that intersects with mental health, maternal care, and equity. By enshrining support into law, Alberta has the opportunity to transform the experience of loss from one of isolation to one of compassion and comprehensive care long-term.
Beyond condolences lies a moral responsibility. Alberta can—and must—act now to recognize perinatal loss for what it is: not just a moment of heartbreak, but a profound mental health crisis demanding our attention, empathy, and legislative action.
References:
1.Bright, A. M., Doody, O., & Tuohy, T. (2022). Women with perinatal suicidal ideation–A scoping review of the biopsychosocial risk factors to inform health service provision and research. PloS one, 17(9), e0274862.
2.Gold, K. J., Leon, I., Boggs, M. E., & Sen, A. (2016). Depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms after perinatal loss in a population-based sample. Journal of women's health, 25(3), 263-269.
3.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.
4. Wilson, D. M., & Playfair, R. (2016). Bereavement programs and services in the province of Alberta: A mapping report. Canadian Journal on Aging/La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 35(2), 273-278.
5. Legislative Assembly of Ontario. (2015). *Bill 141: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness, Research and Care Act, 2015*. https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-41/session-1/bill-141
6. PAIL Network. (2025). *Annual report 2024/2025* [Annual report]. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre – Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network. https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Annual-Report-202425.pdf
Written by Alam Randhawa
Alam is a combined graduate and medical student in the Leaders in Medicine program at the University of Calgary, with interests in maternal and child health, neonatal outcomes and as well as perinatal and child/adolescent mental health. She has contributed to projects on pediatric telemedicine, perinatal cannabis use, perinatal health services and neurodevelopment in infants with brain injury. She is passionate about evidence-based advocacy and quality improvement. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys traveling and playing soccer.