title: Interconceptional counseling after perinatal and infant loss.
abstract: Historically, preconceptional health promotion has been recommended for all prospective parents to improve perinatal outcomes. Preconceptional health promotion and interconceptional counseling may be even more beneficial for parents who have had previous perinatal losses. Perinatal loss can be devastating, with long-term effects on subsequent pregnancies and children. A theoretical framework for interconceptional counseling after perinatal loss needs to be developed. Interconceptional counseling can give couples important information to improve outcomes, acknowledge fears and anxieties, evaluate genetic risks, facilitate grieving, and explore attachment and parenting issues.
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Department of OB/GYN, Maternal Fetal Medicine Division, Albuquerque 87131-5256, USA. Cwallerstedt@salud.unm.edu
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wallerstedt
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lilley
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baldwin
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003643:Death; D005239:Fear; D005313:Fetal Death; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D006117:Grief; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D013997:Time Factors