Grieving in Communities of Color
Pregnancy and infant loss can affect every part of a parent's life.
For parents in communities of color, grief may also be shaped by experiences within healthcare, culture and family, racism and discrimination, faith and spirituality, and access to support that feels culturally responsive.
Your grief is individual. There is no single experience of pregnancy or infant loss within any racial or cultural community. This resource offers information, acknowledgment, and support for some of the experiences that may intersect with grief after the loss of a baby.
Pregnancy & Infant Loss Disparities
Pregnancy and infant loss affect families across every racial and ethnic community, but they do not affect all communities equally.
2x Stillbirth occurs about twice as often among Black women as among White women.
2.5x The infant mortality rate for Black infants is about 2.5 times that of White infants.
~57% The preterm birth rate among Black women is about 57% higher than among White women.
We acknowledge that other communities also experience distinct disparities and barriers.
Race itself does not cause these disparities. Differences in outcomes reflect complex and interconnected factors, including structural racism and discrimination, access to high-quality healthcare, bias within healthcare, chronic stress, and other social and healthcare conditions.
For some bereaved parents of color, these experiences may become part of their grief—including questions about the care they received, experiences of not being heard or taken seriously, or anger and mistrust toward healthcare systems.
Grief, Culture & Community
Grief does not happen separately from our identities, families, cultures, and communities. Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Latinx, and multiracial families may have different histories, traditions, healthcare experiences, and ways of understanding and expressing grief.
For some parents of color, grief may also exist alongside experiences of racism or discrimination, mistrust of healthcare systems, expectations to remain strong, or a lack of culturally responsive support. Family, community, cultural traditions, and faith or spirituality may be sources of comfort, while at other times, expectations within these spaces may make it harder to openly express grief.
You may feel supported by your community, misunderstood by it, or both. You may find comfort in traditions or beliefs that have always been important to you—or find that loss changes your relationship with them.
There is no single experience of grief within any racial or cultural community. You deserve support that honors your baby, your experiences, and the parts of your identity that are meaningful to you.
Finding Support That Feels Right for You
Support can look different for everyone. You may find connection through other bereaved parents, family and friends, faith or spiritual communities, cultural traditions, a therapist, support groups, or a combination of these.
For some parents, connecting with people who share aspects of their racial or cultural identity can offer an additional sense of understanding and belonging. Look for people and spaces where you feel safe being fully yourself and where your loss, your baby, and the experiences that are important to you are acknowledged.
What you need may change over time. There is no one right kind of support.
Explore Resources and Community
Find pregnancy and infant loss support, culturally responsive mental health care, maternal health and advocacy resources, stories, books, films, and opportunities to learn more.