Liberal MP Désirée McGraw became emotional during the approval in principle of a bill establishing an awareness day on perinatal bereavement in Quebec. We must now reflect on the weaknesses of our health system with regard to this still too trivialized reality.
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The elected official, mother of three boys who herself lost a daughter named Catherine, offered a courageous and important testimony so that we finally lift the veil on the lack of recognition towards this bereavement.
Perinatal bereavement occurs when a baby is lost during pregnancy, during childbirth or in the year following. Each year, 23,000 families are affected by it in Quebec alone.
Désirée McGraw stressed that the adoption of this bill was a first step, but that many enlightened public policies must be put in place to support and accompany these families.
A question is necessary
In an excellent work published in 2013 by researcher and screenwriter Isabelle Clément and clinical nurse Manon Cyr, entitled Miscarriage, real mourningwe deplored the lack of recognition and consideration that couples experiencing perinatal bereavement face.
It broadly highlighted the weaknesses of the health system in supporting couples facing miscarriage, while for many of them, this risks having major repercussions in their lives.
Lack of services
The authors also hoped that their book “encourages health establishments to question their current practices in order to humanize the care of their patients.”
More than ten years later, nothing has changed and it is unacceptable. The lack of psychosocial and financial support is glaring, and Quebec lags behind Ontario, for example.
The work of Mme McGraw represents a big step forward. Now we have to continue and do more.