October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. This month, we pause to acknowledge the women and families who carry a loss that is too often grieved in silence.
Pregnancy loss is common, but that does not make it easier. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reports that early pregnancy loss occurs in about 10% of clinically recognized pregnancies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 21,000 babies are stillborn in the United States each year. Behind every number is a parent, a partner, and a family who had imagined a future.
Many losses cannot be predicted or prevented. ACOG notes that about half of early pregnancy losses are due to chromosomal abnormalities, and that a significant proportion of stillbirths remain unexplained even after a thorough evaluation. This matters because grief is so often tangled with self-blame. Not every loss has an explanation, and no parent should be left to search for one alone.
Still, we know that where a family lives and the care available to them can shape a pregnancy journey. CDC data show that in 2021, stillbirth occurred twice as often among non-Hispanic Black women as among non-Hispanic White and Asian or Pacific Islander women. These disparities could be attributed to several underlying causes, including access to quality health care, pre-existing health conditions, and structural discrimination.
Access is also shrinking in many places. March of Dimes’ 2026 report found that 34.6% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts, home to 2.4 million women of reproductive age. It also identified at least 96 labor and delivery unit closures across 35 states between January 2024 and May 2026. Women living in maternity care deserts travel about three times farther, on average, to reach labor and delivery services.
For a pregnancy with added risk, timely access to specialized care can mean closer monitoring, earlier answers, and a clearer path forward. No one can promise that access will change every outcome. But every family deserves the chance to be seen, heard, and supported by the right clinicians, whether they live down the road from a major medical center or hours away from one.
This month, we hold space for every family who has experienced loss. On October 15, many people join the Wave of Light by lighting a candle at 7:00 p.m. local time. If someone in your life has experienced a loss, you do not need the perfect words. Asking how they are, and listening, is enough.