Winner of a 2025 Excellence in Publishing Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers: General Interest (First Place).
Winner of a 2025 CMA Book Award from the Catholic Media Association: Grief and Bereavement (Third Place).
Losing a child before or shortly after birth is a heartbreak beyond words. For Catholic parents, this grief is often compounded by deep and difficult questions about faith, the Church, and their identity as parents. Why did God let this happen? Where is my baby now? How do I find peace or healing?
In A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss, Abigail Jorgensen offers compassionate guidance and hope to parents and those who support them. Combining her expertise as a sociologist, ethicist, and certified bereavement doula with her own personal experience of miscarriage, Jorgensen walks readers through the emotional, spiritual, and practical challenges of perinatal loss in light of Catholic teaching.
This groundbreaking resource integrates theology, pastoral care, and grief research to address both the heart and the mind. Drawing from Scripture, the saints, the Church’s sacraments, and prayer traditions, Jorgensen provides faithful and accessible answers to the most pressing questions facing grieving parents, including:
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Why does perinatal loss happen?
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Will I be with my baby again?
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What are normal emotions, and when should I seek extra support?
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How should we grieve as parents?
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What saints can I turn to for comfort?
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How can I honor my baby’s memory?
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How do I support someone else who is grieving this kind of loss?
Structured as a question-and-answer guide, this book offers clear definitions, spiritual insight, and practical takeaways. It serves as both a companion for parents and a resource for clergy, friends, and professionals who wish to support them with understanding and sensitivity.
A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss is a lifeline for anyone navigating one of life’s deepest sorrows and searching for healing through faith.
About the Author
Abigail Jorgensen is an assistant professor of sociology and health care ethics at Saint Louis University, as well as a certified doula and childbirth educator. She teaches grief-informed, research-based trainings for those supporting families through perinatal loss.
Jorgensen earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University of Notre Dame. She is a member of DONA International, Lamaze International, and the American Sociological Association, and facilitates a bereaved parents community group. Her work has been featured by FemCatholic, Notre Dame Magazine, and Today’s Catholic, and she has appeared on Kresta in the Afternoon and in the National Catholic Register. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her family.
