Beyond the Autopsy: The Role of Postmortem Conferences in Supporting Families

PURPOSE: This manuscript examines the role of postmortem conference in supporting families in their grief and enhancing care following perinatal loss. It synthesizes current knowledge, highlights challenges in recognition and support, and recommends evidence-based approaches for healthcare professionals to better address the needs of grieving families. CONTENT: Perinatal loss, encompassing miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death, is profoundly distressing, affecting individuals, couples, and families. This manuscript explores the complex nature of grief following perinatal loss, emphasizing the psychological, emotional, and social challenges bereaved parents may face. It synthesizes recent literature focused on grief and bereavement. The disenfranchised nature of perinatal grief, the insufficient recognition and support from social networks and healthcare providers, and implications for long-term mental health are discussed. Evidence-based interventions and supportive approaches include compassionate communication, memory-making practices, and psychological therapies tailored for perinatal loss. Best practices for healthcare professionals and recommendations for institutional policies that foster a supportive environment for grieving families are highlighted. The manuscript addresses the need for increased education, resources, and research to improve care outcomes. By recognizing the legitimacy and depth of perinatal grief, and addressing it through holistic, responsive care, both immediate suffering and long-term complications for parents and families can be mitigated.