ABSTRACT
This chapter concentrates on early pregnancy loss in the emergency room (ER) setting. In many medical systems, women present to the ER when they experience symptoms such as cramping and/or bleeding during the first twenty weeks of gestation. Typically the ER is a fast-paced environment that lacks privacy. Medical personnel are accustomed to dealing with traumatic situations on a daily basis. They may not perceive a patient who is experiencing cramping and vaginal bleeding as a life-threatening case when in the next cubical there is a person in cardiac arrest. Since many miscarriages are treated within out-patient medical settings such as emergency rooms, it is helpful to look at interventions that are supportive and validate the loss. Some of these include the support of a significant other, being able to see and hold (when possible) the miscarried baby, offering mementos, involving parents in decision making, and providing follow-up.
