The Elche University General Hospital will join the World Day of Awareness of Pregnancy, Infant and Newborn Loss on Thursday 15th October with an initiative aimed at giving visibility to a reality that many families experience in silence: the loss of a baby during pregnancy, childbirth or the first days of life.
The event will take place in the hospital’s main lobby, where an information point will be set up for patients, families, healthcare professionals, and visitors. Throughout the day, pink and blue ribbons, symbols of this cause, will be distributed, along with information from associations specialised in perinatal bereavement support.
The aim is to raise awareness about these losses, acknowledge the pain of the families, and remember the importance of offering them close, respectful care adapted to each situation.
A team to support families in their grief
The Elche University General Hospital has a Perinatal Bereavement Committee made up of professionals from different areas, including Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Neonatology, Nursing, Primary Care, Mental Health and the paediatric line of the Home Hospitalisation Unit.
This team works to coordinate the care that families receive when there is a pregnancy, perinatal or neonatal loss, with common criteria for the different services involved in the process.
The centre has a specific protocol that covers the different stages of care, from the moment the bad news is delivered to support during labour and postpartum, saying goodbye to the baby, and subsequent follow-up. It also includes guidelines for healthcare professionals who care for families in these circumstances.
The president of the Perinatal Bereavement Committee, Judith Abad, emphasised that supporting those who have lost a baby means acknowledging their pain, respecting their pace, and offering them compassionate care. She also stressed that making these situations visible helps remind us that these losses deserve to be heard and addressed.
Abad also points out the importance of healthcare professionals having the training and tools to handle these moments with sensitivity and confidence, preventing families from also having to face feelings of loneliness or misunderstanding.
A cuddle cradle to say goodbye
Among the resources available at the hospital is the so-called “cuddle cradle”, a device designed to make it easier for parents and other family members to stay with their baby during the farewell.
This is a bassinet-style crib equipped with a thermal system that keeps the baby’s body cool for a certain period of time. This allows the family to spend more time with their baby in a calm and respectful environment.
With this initiative on 15th October, the Elche University General Hospital seeks to contribute to greater visibility of gestational, perinatal and neonatal grief, so that families going through a loss can find understanding, support and appropriate care at a particularly difficult time.
