Pediatrician's Response to a Stillbirth or Death of a Neonate

On rare occasions, a nurse phones with the information that a mother who has chosen me to be her pediatrician has delivered a stillborn baby or has a newborn who has died in the first few hours of life. A previous relationship with this mother often facilitates my being helpful at this sad moment. I may have met the expectant couple during a prenatal pediatric conference, or I may care for other children in the family. Frequently, parents I knew as children seek my pediatric services, so the relationship is long-standing. As I leave my office or home to meet the grief-stricken parents at the hospital, I consider the difficult task they face as they cope with this tragic loss for which they had no preparation.