August 2025

Our program of research examining communication about reproductive grief stemmed from both personal and professional experience. We had both studied communication about women’s health early in our careers. But for both of us, our interest in pregnancy loss stemmed from personal experience in which each of us endured an early pregnancy loss and had interactions with providers that deepened our suffering. We are committed to giving health care providers tools to engage in compassionate communication when working with patients experiencing reproductive grief.

Health care providers report that they lack the skills necessary to discuss reproductive loss in a compassionate way and might feel deeply uncomfortable talking with patients in these situations.  As a result, patients have reported receiving substandard care, and health care providers might unintentionally amplify the trauma of reproductive loss. Our goal is to understand what patients want and need during these conversations and to equip providers with evidence-based communication skills to improve these interactions.

Much of our impact in this area stems from our relationship with the Institute of Reproductive Grief Care (https://www.reproductivegrief.org/) in San Diego, CA. The Institute’s mission is “to educate frontline medical teams to reduce emotional trauma and set patients on a healthy healing trajectory when they need it most.” Our work with the Institute is multifaceted and includes serving on the Health Care Task Force to oversee training programs and offer input into Institute priorities. We regularly present training sessions for providers at the Institute’s annual symposium and as part of their Research Reveals online educational program. And we are currently working with a team of researchers and the Institute to validate a reproductive grief screening tool designed for use in clinical contexts.

Privileging patient voices in our qualitative work allows us to bear witness to the suffering of others and to give our participants a chance to share their stories in a safe and judgment-free space. Narratives of reproductive loss are often silenced because they bring up difficult topics, like death. We are privileged to have the opportunity to give women and partners a chance to tell their stories. We also appreciate the chance to interact with providers who are on the frontlines of shepherding patients through their grief and offer them tools to make these conversations more comfortable for both patients and providers.

Jen: I am an avid reader and enjoy attending book festivals and author events. I also love travelling with my husband and son, tending to my pollinator garden, playing hobby board games, and cheering on the Colts and Pacers.

Maria: I enjoy being active outdoors, especially hiking with my husband and two children, walking our dog, and helping coach a local elementary and middle school cross country team.

We prioritize involving students in our research. Because our department offers a PhD in Health Communication, we are always working with graduate students either in their roles as research assistants or as collaborators on various projects. We involve students throughout the entire research process from project conceptualization through dissemination, and each step in between.

Our work with the Institute allows us to interact and engage with members of the national and international community through online webinars and in-person conference sessions.

We have two projects underway right now that contribute to our program of research and to the Institute’s priorities: developing a reproductive grief screener for clinical use and examining patient-provider communication during pregnancy after a loss.