After Pregnancy Loss
Please accept our most sincere condolences on the loss of your child. We hope the following information is helpful to you as you make decisions in the days ahead.
Following Your Loss
After your loss, it is normal to feel many things, especially overwhelmed. You may face difficult decisions for yourself and or your family regarding medical care and final arrangements.
Final Arrangements Planning
Families choose final arrangements following the loss of a pregnancy in many different ways and families vary widely in how they experience pregnancy loss. For some it is the death of a son or daughter and the loss of a future. For others, it may solely be the loss of a pregnancy. It could feel like something in between. Know that there are no right or wrong choices and no single path for families to follow.
The following are options to consider for final arrangements following a pregnancy loss. At times, there are limitations to what options are available given the gestational age of the pregnancy and how the loss occurred. Try to have grave for yourself and or your loved ones as it can be very difficult to make these decisions.
The following are options to consider for final arrangements following a pregnancy loss. At times, there are limitations to what options are available given the gestational age of the pregnancy and how the loss occurred. Try to have grave for yourself and or your loved ones as it can be very difficult to make these decisions.
Choices for Arranging for Burial or Cremation
You and your family have options to consider:
Funeral
You may make private arrangements and work with a funeral home to have a service of your choosing. Many funeral homes provide discounted services to families when making arrangements for babies.
When you call a funeral home, you will likely speak with a Funeral Director. This person is obligated by law to provide you prices over the phone. It is not unloving to compare prices or to limit services provided by the funeral home if cost is a concern for your family.
You may make private arrangements and work with a funeral home of your choosing, having cremation or burial based on your personal beliefs and wishes. Many funeral homes provide discounted services to families when making arrangements for an early loss.
Have the following information and items available for the Funeral Director:
If you cannot afford a funeral, we can help cover the costs for you through one of the funeral homes in our network. If you do need financial assistance, please apply for Funeral Assistance.
When you call a funeral home, you will likely speak with a Funeral Director. This person is obligated by law to provide you prices over the phone. It is not unloving to compare prices or to limit services provided by the funeral home if cost is a concern for your family.
You may make private arrangements and work with a funeral home of your choosing, having cremation or burial based on your personal beliefs and wishes. Many funeral homes provide discounted services to families when making arrangements for an early loss.
Have the following information and items available for the Funeral Director:
- Full name of your child
- Parents’ full names and maiden names if applicable
- Social security number
- Place of birth
If you cannot afford a funeral, we can help cover the costs for you through one of the funeral homes in our network. If you do need financial assistance, please apply for Funeral Assistance.
Cremation
A cremation is the burning of the remains into ashes. The ashes are returned to the family in a container provided by the family, funeral home, or crematory. Some families choose to keep the remains while others prefer to bury or release them at a favorite place or spiritual location.
Cremations are generally supported for pregnancy losses after 12 weeks gestation and older. Cremations at earlier gestational ages generally do not provide cremains. You may make private arrangements and work with a funeral home or crematory of your choosing.
A direct cremation is often the easiest and least expensive option (if there is even a charge) for a family. The body is transported directly to the crematory from the hospital and does not go to the funeral home. A funeral director is required for this arrangement since the body still has to be transported and the death certificate needs to be filed. This choice eliminates the cost of visitation, embalming, casket, and a cemetery plot. A cremation may also take place after the body has been viewed by family and friends at the funeral home.
Pierced Forever can help you find a place that will provide cremation at little or no charge to the family. If you cannot afford this, we can cover these cremation costs for you (just apply for Funeral Assistance and specify this need).
Cremations are generally supported for pregnancy losses after 12 weeks gestation and older. Cremations at earlier gestational ages generally do not provide cremains. You may make private arrangements and work with a funeral home or crematory of your choosing.
A direct cremation is often the easiest and least expensive option (if there is even a charge) for a family. The body is transported directly to the crematory from the hospital and does not go to the funeral home. A funeral director is required for this arrangement since the body still has to be transported and the death certificate needs to be filed. This choice eliminates the cost of visitation, embalming, casket, and a cemetery plot. A cremation may also take place after the body has been viewed by family and friends at the funeral home.
Pierced Forever can help you find a place that will provide cremation at little or no charge to the family. If you cannot afford this, we can cover these cremation costs for you (just apply for Funeral Assistance and specify this need).
Burial
You may make private arrangements and work with a funeral home of your choosing.
A burial is a ceremonial act of burying the deceased person who is buried in a casket, wrapped in a shroud (cloth), or cremated and buried in an urn. Caskets are the most costly, urn are the least expensive. The amount you spend does not speak to the amount of love you have for your child. You can discuss options with your funeral director or somebody at the Pierced Forever Foundation.
Simple burials in a cemetery that has a memorial garden are typically offered at little or no charge to families who have lost a child. Simple burial means that the cemetery staff prepares the burial plot, places the burial box in the plot and covers the plot but there is no ceremony for the burial. Some families who choose to be present may recite a poem, read a spiritual piece or say some loving words. Some families also choose to leave mementos at the burial site. Families are usually not able to select the location as burial plots are pre-arranged to keep costs down. Burials can occur with or without family present and a temporary marker is placed at the burial site.
If a baby was non-live born, arrangements can be made for a direct burial from the hospital without having to work through a funeral home. If a baby was live born, a funeral home must be involved.
While there is little charge for this simple burial, some families choose to have a permanent grave marker, which is a cost to the family arranged directly with the cemetery.
If a baby was non-live born, arrangements can be made for a direct burial from the hospital without having to work through a funeral home. If a baby was live born, a funeral home must be involved.
Pierced Forever can help you find a place that will provide the burial at little or no charge to the family. If you cannot afford this, we can cover these cremation costs for you (just apply for Funeral Assistance and specify this need).
A burial is a ceremonial act of burying the deceased person who is buried in a casket, wrapped in a shroud (cloth), or cremated and buried in an urn. Caskets are the most costly, urn are the least expensive. The amount you spend does not speak to the amount of love you have for your child. You can discuss options with your funeral director or somebody at the Pierced Forever Foundation.
Simple burials in a cemetery that has a memorial garden are typically offered at little or no charge to families who have lost a child. Simple burial means that the cemetery staff prepares the burial plot, places the burial box in the plot and covers the plot but there is no ceremony for the burial. Some families who choose to be present may recite a poem, read a spiritual piece or say some loving words. Some families also choose to leave mementos at the burial site. Families are usually not able to select the location as burial plots are pre-arranged to keep costs down. Burials can occur with or without family present and a temporary marker is placed at the burial site.
If a baby was non-live born, arrangements can be made for a direct burial from the hospital without having to work through a funeral home. If a baby was live born, a funeral home must be involved.
While there is little charge for this simple burial, some families choose to have a permanent grave marker, which is a cost to the family arranged directly with the cemetery.
If a baby was non-live born, arrangements can be made for a direct burial from the hospital without having to work through a funeral home. If a baby was live born, a funeral home must be involved.
Pierced Forever can help you find a place that will provide the burial at little or no charge to the family. If you cannot afford this, we can cover these cremation costs for you (just apply for Funeral Assistance and specify this need).
PATHOLOGY
If you do not wish to make private arrangements for cremation or burial through a funeral home, the hospital can arrange for a cremation though pathology for a non-live birth only. There is no charge for this plan. However, if you choose this option, the remains will not be able to be returned to you.
Medical Information
Fetal Examination
A fetal examination/fetal autopsy is the examination of the fetal remains to determine cause of the loss or other complicating factors of the pregnancy and is completed after the surgical intervention to remove the pregnancy or after the delivery of a stillborn fetus. Depending on the gestational age of the pregnancy and the way in which the loss occurred, a fetal examination may be required. The preliminary results of the fetal examination are generally available within a few weeks following the loss and are most often reviewed with the provider at a follow up appointment.
Genetic Testing
Some families are presented with the option to do genetic testing following their pregnancy loss. This decision is personal and can be difficult for some and provide closure for others. Many families want to understand why the loss occurred and search for a reason, although sometimes there are no answers.
Mothers in particular often blame themselves for the loss, even though the vast majority of these losses are not due to anything the mother did or did not do. Speak with your medical providers about cost for these tests as they can be quite expensive and are often not covered by insurance or our foundation.
Mothers in particular often blame themselves for the loss, even though the vast majority of these losses are not due to anything the mother did or did not do. Speak with your medical providers about cost for these tests as they can be quite expensive and are often not covered by insurance or our foundation.
Financial Concerns
Although the prices of funerals can vary greatly, any funeral can be unexpectedly expensive. Many families find they have some difficulty paying for a funeral. Here are some suggestions for ways to approach the cost of a funeral:
FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY
Contact family and friends, as well as clergy from local religious institutions, co-workers, community groups, or even a medical related support group to let them know of your need. Some families utilize online crowdfunding platforms to raise money for a funeral.
PIERCED FOREVER FOUNDATION
If you would like to talk more about your options and ways that we can help lift the financial burden of funeral and burial costs, please complete the Request Funeral Assistance form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For ongoing questions and concerns before, during, and after the death of a loved one do not hesitate to call or email us.
For ongoing questions and concerns before, during, and after the death of a loved one do not hesitate to call or email us.
INSURANCE POLICIES
If you have purchased a life insurance policy for your child, you may use these funds to pay for funeral expenses. Sometimes the funeral home will consider this for payment of services even if the money is not yet available.
PIERCED FOREVER FOUNDATION
If you would like to talk more about your options and ways that we can help lift the financial burden of burial costs, please complete the Request Assistance form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For ongoing questions and concerns before, during, and after the death of a loved one do not hesitate to call or email us.
For ongoing questions and concerns before, during, and after the death of a loved one do not hesitate to call or email us.
Death Certificate
It is the responsibility of the funeral director to have the death certificate filed. The funeral director will assist with the process, and give you an idea of the number of copies you will need. There is a cost for the certified death certificate but it is typically less expensive to get them following the loss from the funeral home rather than getting them through the County Clerk’s office at a later time.