When talking about pregnancy loss it’s a difficult, but important conversation. There are more than 350 pregnancies every year in Minnesota that result in a stillbirth. That’s according to a report from the Minnesota Department of Health.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month. Throughout the month Aspirus St. Luke’s team is spreading awareness for families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss. Jen Hill is the Staff Educator for Labor and Delivery at Aspirus St. Luke’s. She says the maternal child health team is raising funds to help grieving families.

“Losing a pregnancy, no matter what the gestation is a grieving process for a mom. They have to go through all those steps. We just want to do whatever we can to help,” Hill said. “One in four women goes through this. We also fund a fetal loss support group. Parents can come back on a monthly basis and meet. Then we have a counselor that talks them through.”

When a pregnant mother loses their unborn baby, properly managing the grieving process is critical. Dana Morrison has worked with the Doulas of Duluth for nearly a decade. She says having someone dedicated to help out during a pregnancy can be monumental. Especially if the expecting family experiences a pregnancy loss.

“Our doulas actually work on a volunteer basis to come in and support families. So they don’t get paid for it. It’s just out of their own time to support families going through loss. So it’s really important for the work we do to show up in that space as well.”

The Aspirus St. Luke’s maternal child health team fundraising efforts goes towards the St. Luke’s Foundation. Then the can afford keepsakes, memory boxes and other gifts to help families during their time of grief. Meagan Avery, the Development Associate with the St. Luke’s Foundation says people can donate online to help families recovering from the pregnancy loss.

“With grant funding and their own fundraising efforts, we’ve been able to help them in their passions in supporting our families that are touched by this type of loss. And it’s quite a heartbreak. And where we can support them and their efforts, we’re happy to do that.”

Parents who have experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death, St. Luke’s hosts a monthly perinatal loss grief support group. You do not have to be a St. Luke’s patient, and this group is open to both men and women. Also for other stories with St. Luke’s you can read more here.