You Are Not Alone This October: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

Medically reviewed by Dr. Molina Dayal, MD, board-certified reproductive endocrinologist.

Losing a pregnancy or baby is an experience no family ever expects to face.

There may have already been a name. A due date circled on the calendar. Plans taking shape. A future you had begun to imagine. When that future suddenly changes, the grief can be profound.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, a time to remember babies lost to miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss, and to recognize the parents and families who carry their memory.

At STL Fertility, we know that behind every pregnancy is a story, and behind every loss is one, too. This October, we want families to know one thing above all: You are not alone.

For many members of our team, this is more than something we encounter through our work. We have walked alongside patients through heartbreaking losses, and some of us have experienced pregnancy or infant loss within our own lives and families. We understand how deeply personal this journey can be, and how important it is to feel supported through it.

That perspective shapes the way we care for our patients: with compassion, understanding, and recognition that every family's experience with loss is different.

Grief Doesn't Follow a Timeline

Pregnancy and infant loss can bring an overwhelming range of emotions - sadness, anger, guilt, confusion, anxiety or even numbness.

There is no "right" way to grieve and no timeline for when you should feel better. Grief can surface when you least expect it and may look different from one person to another.

For some parents, loss can also bring difficult questions. Why did this happen? Could something have been done differently? Is there an explanation?

Pregnancy loss can happen for many reasons, and many times, a specific cause is never identified. Most importantly, families should know that pregnancy loss is almost never caused by something they did or didn't do.

Statistics can help us understand how frequent pregnancy and infant loss occur. But they cannot measure the significance of an individual pregnancy, baby or family's experience. Your loss matters, no matter when it occurred.

Connection Can Make a Difference

Pregnancy loss is something many people experience but relatively few openly discuss. Sometimes, it isn't until someone shares their own experience that friends, relatives and coworkers begin quietly saying, "Me too."

You never have to share your story before you're ready, or at all. But for those who want connection, talking with someone who understands can make grief feel a little less isolating.

Support can come in many forms: a partner who listens, a friend who continues to check in, a therapist who specializes in reproductive mental health or a support group filled with people who have experienced a similar loss.

Healing doesn't mean forgetting. It can mean finding ways to carry your grief while continuing to care for yourself.

Finding Support After Pregnancy or Infant Loss

If you or someone you love has experienced pregnancy or infant loss, support is available. Some families may find comfort in connecting with others who have experienced a similar loss, while others may prefer individual support, counseling or simply having access to trusted information.

Listed below are several national and St. Louis-area resources that may help.

National Resources

• Postpartum Support International (PSI) 

  Postpartum Support International offers pregnancy and infant loss support, virtual support groups and connections to mental health professionals with experience in pregnancy, postpartum and reproductive mental health.

• March of Dimes

  March of Dimes provides information and resources for families navigating miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss and grief, including resources for pregnancy after loss.

• The Compassionate Friends 

  The Compassionate Friends provides support to families following the death of a child, with chapters and online communities available across the country.

Pregnancy or Infant Loss Resources in St. Louis

• Mercy HeartPrints 

  Mercy HeartPrints supports families who experience the loss of a baby during pregnancy or the newborn period. The program offers one-on-one support as well as a free support group that is open to members of the community.

  
  

• Butterfly Kisses Alliance 

  Butterfly Kisses Alliance supports families navigating pregnancy and infant loss, offering compassion, connection and resources to help families feel supported during their grief and healing journey.

• Infant Loss Resources

  Infant Loss Resources is a St. Louis-based organization providing grief support and resources for families who have experienced the loss of a baby, along with education and advocacy surrounding infant loss and safe sleep.

  
  

• Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support

  Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support has its national office in St. Peters and offers support specifically for families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss. Local resources include support groups, remembrance opportunities and connections with other families who understand the experience of loss.

• International Wave of Light — October 15, 2026

  Held on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, individuals can participate in the International Wave of Light by lighting a candle at 7 pm local time and keeping it lit for one hour. Across the globe, this 24-hour continuous wave of light honors, remembers, and supports families grieving babies lost too soon.

  
  

• 25th Annual Share Walk for Remembrance & Hope — October 17, 2026

  As part of its commitment to supporting families, Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support hosts the annual Share Walk for Remembrance & Hope. This year's event takes place October 17 at Frontier Park in St. Charles, bringing families together to honor and remember babies who have died during pregnancy or infancy. The event begins with day-of registration at 8 a.m., followed by a children's Creation Station at 9 a.m., a memorial service at 10 a.m. and the walk at 11 a.m. Families can visit the Share Walk for Remembrance & Hope event page for registration and complete event information.

  
  

When You're Ready, We're Here

After pregnancy loss, there may come a time when grief is joined by questions about what happened or what comes next.

You may wonder why the loss occurred, whether testing could provide answers, what it could mean for a future pregnancy or when, or whether — you're ready to try again. There is no timeline for asking those questions, just as there is no timeline for grief.

When you are ready, the team at STL Fertility is here to listen. For individuals and couples who have experienced two or more pregnancy losses or have concerns about their ability to conceive or carry a pregnancy, our St. Louis fertility specialists can help evaluate potential factors, discuss testing when appropriate and talk through options for moving forward.

Whatever your next step looks like, you don't have to take it alone. When you're ready, we're here.

This October, We Remember

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to acknowledge the babies who are deeply loved and remembered, and the families whose lives have been forever shaped by their loss.

Whether your loss happened recently or many years ago, whether you choose to talk about it openly or carry it privately, your experience matters.

To the families who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss, we see you. This October and always, you are not alone.