ABSTRACT
Dealing with pregnancy loss can strengthen some relationships particularly if we have been able to communicate clearly and grieve in similar ways. However, pregnancy loss can also cause relationship strain or breakdown – either because there were problems in the relationship prior to pregnancy loss; due to the stress of coping with past losses; or because there is a disconnect in how we cope with the loss leading to rifts, disagreements, and resentments. Sometimes people are afraid to talk together about their pregnancy loss for fear it will either upset them more, or distress their partner. However, if anything about our loss is troubling us, it is better to tell our partner how we feel. Disagreements and difficulties following loss may be difficult to forgive and forget – but they do happen and being able to accept this is common, sad, but not automatically a sign there is a crisis in our relationship is sensible.
