For many families, pregnancy is a time of hope, anticipation, and careful planning for the future. When that journey ends in loss, the impact can be profound and life-altering.

Behind every stillbirth, pregnancy loss, or newborn death is a mother, a family, and a story that deserves to be met with dignity, compassion, and understanding.

Across Ghana, many women carry the weight of loss with quiet strength. Yet resilience should never replace support.

Grief following pregnancy or child loss can affect emotional wellbeing, relationships, and even future health outcomes. For healthcare providers, the way we communicate, listen, and support families during these moments can shape their healing journey for years to come.

At the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), we are committed to improving not only clinical outcomes but also the human experience of care.

Over time, we have observed that when women receive structured grief support, compassionate communication, and appropriate follow-up, their ability to cope and adapt improves significantly.

To strengthen this critical area of care, the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) Unit at KBTH collaborated with the Isaac Walton Killam (IWK) Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, to deliver a focused Bereavement Care Training Programme.

The IWK Health Centre, affiliated with Dalhousie University, has enjoyed over a decade of close collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at KBTH.

Under the leadership of Professor Heather Scott and with representation from KBTH by Dr. Jerry Coleman, this partnership has made a lasting impact on capacity building in fetal medicine.

The collaboration has contributed to advancements in triaging, simulation, MicroResearch, and played a pivotal role in introducing the Vital Anaesthesia Simulation Training (VAST) Course to Ghana—the first of its kind in the sub-region.

Following a recent needs assessment, bereavement care was identified as a significant gap in service delivery. In response, plans were developed to address this need through a dedicated training workshop. The Bereavement Care Training Workshop was held from 26 January to 6 February 2026.

The workshop brought together a multidisciplinary team from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, including Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists, neonatologists, nurses, psychologists, palliative care providers, genetic counsellors, and women’s health service providers.

They were joined by an experienced bereavement and early loss care team from the IWK Health Centre.

The Halifax team delivered two tiers of training: a training-of-trainers programme and a second workshop for selected healthcare personnel drawn from various units within the department.

The intensive sessions were designed to strengthen healthcare providers’ skills in Communicating difficult news with clarity, sensitivity, and honesty, Providing empathetic, patient-centred support during pregnancy and newborn loss ,Supporting families through early pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and neonatal loss, Embedding sustainable bereavement care practices into everyday clinical care.

Approximately 30 healthcare professionals participated in the workshop and beyond the numbers, the training created a shared space for reflection, learning, and re-examining how healthcare providers support families during their most vulnerable moments.

A particularly unique and impactful aspect of the training was the participation of three bereaved parents who courageously volunteered to share their lived experiences.

With careful preparation and support from psychologists prior to the event, their stories provided powerful insight and served as a profound eye-opener for participants.

Participants described the training as transformative, noting improvements in both technical communication skills and emotional preparedness to care for bereaved families.

Many emphasized that the workshop represents a critical step toward building stronger, more compassionate, and sustainable bereavement care systems within the clinical environment.

This partnership reflects a growing recognition that high-quality maternal and newborn care must extend beyond survival.

It must encompass emotional healing, respect, and continuity of care for women and families experiencing loss.

At Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, we remain committed to advancing bereavement care, strengthening provider capacity, and ensuring that no woman or family walks through loss without compassionate support.