Calls to address hidden pain of regional pregnancy loss

Heidi's lost pregnancy is a hidden pain shared by other regional women In short A Western Australian mother is drawing attention to the lack of support services for regional women experiencing pregnancy loss. Experts say limited access to regional support compounds the trauma women face. What's next? The WA government has launched a perinatal loss pilot service in the South West to offer more support for families. Psychologist Heidi Lynn Welsh knows the pain of pregnancy loss only too well. Warning: This story contains content relating to pregnancy loss and neonatal loss, which some readers might find distressing. She has had several miscarriages and endured the stillbirth of her daughter Ellie at 38 weeks in 2017. "It's one of those pivotal moments you won't ever forget; you just realise it's the end and it's not going to happen," Ms Welsh said. "There's no hierarchy to loss; people can be just as devastated in early loss as they can be in stillbirth." Researchers say a lack of regional access to perinatal bereavement support is compounding trauma for families in the bush, and data remains inadequate. 'People don't talk about it' After leaving hospital, Ms Welsh, who is based in the regional WA city of Bunbury, said she received no meaningful support for her grief. "I left empty-handed apart from a bunch of pamphlets,"she said. "They said, 'what you need to know when you want to get pregnant again'; it was just not sensitive." A St John of God Bunbury Hospital spokesperson said while it could not comment on individual cases, every effort was made to support those affected by perinatal loss. The hospital no longer provides maternity services. After her experience, Ms Welsh took matters into her own hands, starting pregnancy loss support group My Little Luv. "I wanted to reach out to people to let them know they're not alone," Ms Welsh said. "People don't talk about loss because they're worried about upsetting someone, but it's actually more upsetting to not talk about it." She was frustrated by a lack of pregnancy loss support in the Bunbury region, which is about 200 kilometres south of Perth. "I don't want to have to travel two hours to Perth when I've just lost my baby to get the support I need,"she said. Midwife and perinatal loss bereavement care researcher Skye Stewart said access to bereavement care was the biggest barrier facing regional families. "We need to make sure the families are receiving care from someone who has an understanding of not just the clinical side but the mental wellbeing side," she said. Ms Stewart said improving access to support could help reduce lasting trauma that included increased rates of anxiety and depression. Gaps in understanding The full picture of pregnancy loss across the country is not fully understood, according to a recently released study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. "Substantial gaps remain in understanding the prevalence of pregnancy loss in Australia, affected populations, access to care, quality of care and approaches to early intervention and management," the report states. There is also no consistent national reporting on pregnancy loss before 20 weeks. Ms Stewart said routine collection of data would help make the case for more support where it is needed. "Consistent data would capture the strengths in what's happening currently, where the gaps are and how we can better support families in a time that is really critical," she said. "When families feel their experience matters and that they are being listened to, they can come out of that with a trajectory of healing." Ms Welsh hopes sharing her story will ensure families in the future avoid what she went through. "We don't have very good rule books in our culture about how to support people," she said. "I've experienced and lived through loss, and there's wisdom that comes with it." More help coming More help is on the way for those struggling with pregnancy loss. The WA Country Health Service last month launched a Perinatal Loss Service pilot in the South West, offering holistic care for families. "The way we talk about and care for families experiencing perinatal loss continues to evolve and improve so no one should have to process their grief alone," a WA Government spokesperson said. The pilot program will be assessed next year, to see if it can be rolled out across regional areas. Emma McBride, the federal assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention, said options were being explored for nationally consistent miscarriage data collection. A federally funded perinatal mental health centre is also planned for Bunbury, as part of a national network. "(The government) recognises the profound and lasting impact that stillbirth and pregnancy loss can have on individuals and families," Ms McBride said.