The loss of a child is a deeply traumatic event that not only affects the personal sphere but is intertwined with the working and social lives of those affected. Although it is more common than we think, (abortion and perinatal death affect one in six pregnancies in our country) this type of bereavement often remains invisible and stigmatized within organizational contexts, with important implications for the general psychological well-being and related to the working sphere of parents.
Why perinatal grief affects the world of work
Numerous studies have pointed out that perinatal bereavement profoundly changes the life experience of parents and has a significant impact in different areas of life, even in the long term. Indeed, perinatal bereavement is related to persistent emotional difficulties, such as anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and symptoms attributable to post-traumatic stress disorder.Parents’ well-being is also undermined by the fact that perinatal bereavement remains to date a little-known bereavement, often ignored or considered to have less impact than other bereavements. In the workplace, unacknowledged or actively downplayed bereavement leads parents to hide their emotions, and to channel a great deal of energy into maintaining behavior deemed socially appropriate and participatory, as if nothing had happened, despite intense internal grief. In many workplaces, emotional reactions that do not conform to corporate expectations are denied or inhibited, worsening psychological distress and affecting quality of work, concentration, productivity, and relationships with colleagues and superiors.
How perinatal bereavement affects work participation
The literature highlights various ways in which perinatal grief can affect people at work:
Difficulties in returning to work: many parents describe returning to work as a complex experience, in which emotions associated with the loss may resurface during routine activities, symbolic dates, or contexts reminiscent of the pregnancy or baby. Some studies state that this “emotional overflow” between personal and work life, which is absolutely normal in the early months of grief, needs more flexible organizational policies and dedicated supports.
Misuse of leave or absences: in the absence of specific policies, many parents resort to inappropriate injury, illness or other forms of leave, often combining days off and annual leave in an attempt to buffer immediate suffering. This mode, in addition to being disrespectful of the nature of bereavement, can generate administrative barriers, stigma and guilt for those who request it.
“Invisible” grief and stigma: Studies point out that perinatal grief is often perceived as “unseen” by the organization because the child was never known to others, and there are no shared memories. This condition can lead to greater difficulty in recognition and support from the employer and team, exacerbating the experience of isolation and increasing the risk of depressive disorders.
Corporate best practices for providing appropriate support for perinatal bereavement
Available studies allow us to outline actions to help bereaved parents and facilitate a fruitful and satisfying return to work:
Leave and sensitive abs ences: the possibility of taking dedicated absences, appropriate to the nature and duration of the bereavement, is recognized as a central element in enabling parents to cope with the acute phase of grief and the transition to return. In our country, unfortunately, before the 180th day of gestation maternity leave is not recognized, no form of leave is provided, and this greatly complicates the first months of bereavement for working women and partners.
Flexibility: in addition to days of absence, whether for illness, leave, vacation, leave of absence etc., other strategies, such as hourly flexibility, gradual re-entry, temporary workload adjustment help to reduce performance stress and allow for accompanying reintegration in a way that respects the emotional experience.
Psychological support and counseling services: psychological support or counseling offered by the company is a useful aid, particularly when integrated within broader workplace wellness policies.
Reduced stigma and a culture of openness: parents’ experience indicates that an empathetic and inclusive organizational climate enables better management of difficult experiences; trained managers, a supportive culture, and recognition of grief as an experience to go through and not as an “individual problem” to be solved outside working hours are factors that improve well-being outcomes and work performance.
Summing up
Although studies are few and we have no evidence on which corporate policy is most effective in perinatal bereavement, to date we know that when organizations are not prepared to handle bereavement in employees, employees experience difficulty in performing their jobs, isolation in relationships with colleagues and superiors, take absences in a disorganized manner, and have greater emotional burnout.
Likewise, when company policies include good practices for managing perinatal bereavement, have adequate leave or leave of absence, individualized returns to work with respect to actual well-being, provide opportunities for psychological support, and acknowledge the bereavement, the well-being of the worker increases and job satisfaction increases: this improves performance and facilitates healthy and physiological grieving.
Conclusions
The scientific literature on perinatal bereavement and return to work clearly indicates that:
- perinatal bereavement has a significant and prolonged impact on working life;
- there are potentially effective organizational strategies to mitigate psychological and occupational risks;
- empirical evidence, although still limited, supports the need for inclusive, flexible policies that are sensitive to individual experiences.
As research continues to expand, organizations can already adopt best practices to create work environments that support bereaved parents in humane, compassionate and responsible ways.
References
- Meunier, S., de Montigny, F., Zeghiche, S., Lalande, D., Verdon, C., Da Costa, D., & Feeley, N. , Workplace experience of parents coping with perinatal loss: A scoping review. Work, 2021
- Schoonover, K. L., Yadav, H., Prokop, L., & Lapid, M. I., Accommodating Bereaved Parents in the Workplace: A Scoping Review. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 2023
- Kelly-Harrington R, Leitao S, O’Donoghue K, Dalton-O’Connor C, Donnelly M, Murray C, Nuzum D, O’Sullivan M, Hennessy M. Workplace supports for early pregnancy loss: A scoping review of international literature. Work. 2025
- Stephanie L. Gilbert, Jennifer K. Dimoff, Jacquelyn M. Brady, Roderick Macleod, Taegen McPhee, Pregnancy loss: A qualitative exploration of an experience stigmatized in the workplace, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 2023
