Supporting Pregnancy After Loss: Health Care Providers’ Use of Trauma-Informed Care Principles in Patient Communication

Pregnancy after perinatal loss (PAL) requires trauma-informed prenatal care to address patients’ heightened anxiety and stress. We interviewed 26 U.S. health care providers and analyzed their perceptions of their communication practices with PAL patients using Berry’s Perinatal Trauma Informed Care framework. Our thematic analysis revealed that providers prioritize safety, trustworthiness and transparency, and support in their interactions with patients more so than collaboration and mutuality, empowerment and choice, and acknowledgement of cultural, historical, and gender issues. Although providers value trauma-informed care in PAL, additional training is needed to ensure adoption of all principles, which may lead to improved patient outcomes.