Perinatal Trauma and Loss Care Service

Who is the service for?

Person is experiencing moderate – severe psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD following perinatal / birth trauma (from 3 months after birth).

Person is experiencing moderate – severe  psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD, complicated or prolonged grief following perinatal loss (from 3 months after loss).

Person is experiencing moderate - severe psychological distress during pregnancy, associated to previous perinatal trauma or loss (no time limit).

Person is experiencing severe fear of childbirth with or without previous birth experience (primary and secondary tokophobia).

We include a loss as one of the following;

• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Neonatal death
• Unsuccessful IVF
• Termination for medical reasons (TFMR).

How to access the service

We accept referrals from any health care professional. Should they require a copy of our referral form, they can contact us at lpft.p-tlcservice@nhs.net.

We do not currently accept self-referrals but this is something we are working hard on. We hope in the future we will be to accept self-referrals.

Who is in the team?

The Perinatal Trauma and Loss Care Service is a psychology driven service. 1:1 therapy is provided by a small team of Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists and Psychotherapists. We have additional multi-disciplinary staff who support the service in different ways. 

Our Specialist Midwife works with clients who are pregnant and newly postnatal. Specialist Midwife support in the antenatal period will complement psychological therapy with antenatal education, individualised birth planning and tailored support. During the early weeks after birth, Specialist Midwife postnatal support can be available until you return to regular psychological therapy. The aim of Specialist Midwifery is to assist clients to navigate their pregnancy, birth, and early weeks in way that promotes emotional safety and wellbeing.

Our Peer support worker has lived experience of loss and trauma. Peer support workers are able to offer support in the form of story sharing, pregnancy/parenting after loss support, trauma education and to support signposting of outside charities and professionals.

What we offer

The episode of care provided will be based on individual needs and preferences and may include:

• Evidence-based and trauma-focussed psychological therapy to process traumatic experiences from pregnancy, birth, or the postnatal period.
• Trauma-informed psychological therapy following pregnancy or baby loss.
• A psychologically safe space to make sense of and process feelings of grief, fear, guilt, anger, anxiety, and shame.
• Developing and strengthening skills and strategies to reduce psychological distress.
• Psychoeducation about trauma and associated mental health difficulties.
• Talking with someone who has also experienced perinatal loss.
• Specialist midwifery assessment and care planning, including the development of integrated, psychologically informed care plans and personalised birth plans.
• Support in preparing for future pregnancies and births.

Who we work alongside

Petals

Petals provide funded specialist counselling for bereaved parents who received care or gave birth at Lincoln County Hospital or Boston Pilgrim Hospital within the past year.

Specialist bereavement services at United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 

The Bereavement Service at United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provides support to women and families who have experienced pregnancy loss from 16 weeks’ gestation onwards, including neonatal death. Support is tailored to individual needs and may include practical guidance for labour ward midwives with memory‑making, discussions about options after birth such as tests, funeral arrangements and birth registration.

The service also offers support during the postnatal period in the community, which may involve ongoing assistance with birth registration arrangements where required, as well as signposting to psychological support. Follow‑up after postmortem and placental pathology results is also provided, including arranging appointments for debrief discussions.

Individualised support may also be offered to families experiencing pregnancy loss before 16 weeks’ gestation, assessed on a case‑by‑case basis.

Your journey through the service

The pathway below outlines what to expect once a referral has been made to the service.

Referral and initial contact

If the referral is appropriate, you will receive a telephone call within 14 days inviting you to attend an assessment appointment.

Assessment appointment

An assessment will then be booked, with the aim of completing this within 28 days of booking. This appointment helps the team understand your needs and the type of support that will be most helpful.

Waiting list and support options

After assessment, you will be placed on the service waiting list. Some individuals may also be offered Peer Support while waiting to begin psychological therapy.

Therapy

When therapy begins, a personalised plan for your therapeutic intervention will be discussed and agreed with you.

After therapy

Following your therapeutic intervention, one of the following outcomes may apply:

• Discharge from the service – decisions are made collaboratively, ensuring you are fully involved throughout your therapy journey.

• Support from the specialist midwife, if this is considered appropriate for your needs.

• Peer support alongside ongoing therapeutic intervention, where this may be beneficial.

Jargon buster

Antenatal - before birth; during or relating to pregnancy.

Postnatal - relating to or denoting the period after childbirth.

Tokophobia - Tokophobia is an extreme, debilitating fear of pregnancy and/or child birth impacting a person's desire to have children or enjoy pregnancy, and can lead to avoiding conception, requesting C-sections, or terminating pregnancies. Tokophobia is categorised as primary (no prior birth) or secondary (after a traumatic birth).

Psychological Distress- is a state of emotional suffering with symptoms like anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and feeling overwhelmed, ranging from normal feelings of vulnerability to severe impairment of your day to day life.

Psychological intervention – structured action or therapy using psychological methods to improve mental health, behaviours, emotions, and overall functioning, aiming for symptom relief and better quality of life.  

PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, avoidance, negative mood changes (guilt, shame, detachment), and hyperarousal (feeling constantly on edge) that significantly disrupt daily life.

Prolonged Grief – is a persistent and intense form of grief where normal mourning doesn't transition, leading to debilitating symptoms like intense yearning, preoccupation, emotional numbness, and significant impairment in daily life.

Resources

Perinatal Trauma and Loss Care Service leaflet

Supporting information for referrals

Further support

Myths and facts about perinatal mental health difficulties

Testimonials

What people say about us