Early Pregnancy Complications and Loss

In Ontario, individuals experiencing early pregnancy complications and loss face numerous challenges in accessing timely, specialized and compassionate care. For many individuals, the emergency department (ED) serves as the primary entry point for care.

In 2017, PCMCH, in partnership with Health Quality Ontario and the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program, developed recommendations for ED healthcare providers and staff in providing compassionate care to people experiencing an early pregnancy loss in the ED.

However, EDs often lack the specific resources and emotional support needed to care for individuals through these experiences. The reliance on EDs highlights a broader gap in accessible, patient-centered care particularly for those in geographically isolated areas or without established healthcare connections. In 2024, PCMCH, in collaboration with the Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network and the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, hosted a workshop to further address these gaps. The workshop aimed to develop collaborative solutions to enhance care for individuals facing early pregnancy complications and loss across Ontario.

Early Pregnancy Loss in the Emergency Department

In 2017, PCMCH, in partnership with Health Quality Ontario and the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program, developed recommendations for emergency department (ED) healthcare providers and staff in providing compassionate care to people experiencing an early pregnancy loss in the ED.

It is estimated that one in five pregnant individuals will experience an early pregnancy loss, defined as a loss that occurs at less than 20 weeks into the pregnancy. Experiencing a pregnancy loss can be a very emotional and traumatic time for expectant parents. When patients experience the symptoms of an early pregnancy loss they frequently seek medical care in an ED. Since these cases represent a small proportion of total ED visits (less than one percent), healthcare providers and other staff in the ED may not have as much experience addressing the emotional and bereavement needs that commonly accompany this experience.

The physical and emotional care that healthcare providers can offer to individuals experiencing an early pregnancy loss has an important impact on their long-term emotional well-being. As such, it is critical that healthcare providers working in EDs attend to the patients’ psychological and emotional needs in an empathetic, caring environment. Compassionate care acknowledges pregnancy loss as a loss of life and considers the spiritual, emotional and cultural expressions of the pain that accompanies the loss of a baby.

Early Pregnancy Complications and Loss Workshop: Collaboration for Innovative Solutions and Implementation Pathways to Improve Care in Ontario

On October 8, 2024, a diverse group of healthcare professionals, government representatives and individuals with lived experience convened to participate in the workshop aimed to collaboratively explore solutions for improving care for individuals experiencing early pregnancy complications and loss in Ontario. Co-hosted by PCMCH, the Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network, and the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, this event highlighted the importance of innovative solutions and implementation pathways to improve care across the province.

This workshop brought together individuals representing rural, remote and urban areas, as well as community and tertiary centres, to explore the lived experiences of individuals and examine a variety of existing and innovative care models currently in practice. Presentations described how these models align with the recommendations set forth in the Quality Standard for Early Pregnancy Complications and Loss: Care for Adults in All Settings and identified gaps where improvements are needed. Participants shared key insights and strategies and collaborated to develop actionable recommendations to enhance the quality of care for individuals and families experiencing early pregnancy complications and loss.

Read the Summary Report for the Early Pregnancy Complications and Loss Workshop.