Rainbow Pregnancy Clinic
Support for Pregnancy After Loss
What is a rainbow baby?
A rainbow pregnancy is a healthy pregnancy that happens after a family loses a baby due to a miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, or infant death. Which then means a rainbow baby are those born to families who have had to endure a pregnancy loss in the past.
The name comes from the idea of a bright rainbow that appears in the sky after a dark and stormy rain.
What is the Rainbow Pregnancy Clinic?
The Rainbow Pregnancy Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Michigan is a specialized program for people who are pregnant after a previous pregnancy loss. We understand that pregnancy after loss is different. It can be filled with joy and hope, but also with anxiety, grief and fear — sometimes all at the same time. This clinic is designed to meet those needs. You will receive additional appointments, more frequent ultrasounds and access to emotional and mental health support throughout your pregnancy. Our team will always acknowledge your previous loss and treat it as part of your care, not something to be moved on from.
We are proud to say that our clinic is also the only clinic in the state of Michigan that is part of the USPAL Network (U.S. Pregnancy After Loss Network) which is a national medical and support partnership dedicated to improving care, research, and health outcomes for families navigating a subsequent pregnancy after experiencing stillbirth, neonatal loss, or birth trauma. It is through this partnership that we have access to standardized, evidence-based care models, specialized sensitivity training, collaborative data sharing for stillbirth research, and multidisciplinary frameworks that integrate mental health support into high-risk prenatal care.
You may be eligible for the Rainbow Pregnancy Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Michigan if you have experienced any of the following:
- Miscarriage (at any stage of pregnancy)
- Stillbirth
- Neonatal death (loss of a baby after birth)
- Termination of pregnancy for a fetal diagnosis (TFMR)
You do not need to have experienced more than one loss to be referred. Any prior pregnancy loss makes you eligible.
A Dedicated Care Team
At our clinic, you will have a dedicated team which means you will not need to re-explain your story at every appointment. Your previous loss will be clearly noted in your records and acknowledged by everyone who cares for you.
That team includes:
- Maternal Fetal Medicine
- Nurse Navigator
- Registered Nurses
- Genetic Counseling
- Neonatology
- Mental Health Professionals
- Labor and Delivery Staff
- Doulas
- Remembering Cherubs
More Frequent Appointments and Scans
Parents will be offered ultrasound appointments earlier and more often than in standard antenatal care. This is not because we expect something to go wrong — it is because we know that regular reassurance matters and that waiting between appointments can be very difficult.
Emotions and Mental Health Support
Anxiety in pregnancy after loss is completely normal. You do not need to be “coping badly” to ask for support as we offer the following mental health support services:
- Confidential counseling with a perinatal mental health professional
- Regular check-ins about how you are feeling, not just how the pregnancy is going
- Information about peer support groups and community resources
- Support for your partner or support person as well
You will be given a direct contact number or messaging line for our team. If you are worried between appointments, you do not need to wait. You can call, message or request an additional scan. There is no such thing as contacting us too much.
You can be referred by:
- Yourself — self-referral is welcome
- Your OB/GYN, family physician or midwife
- Our hospital’s early pregnancy unit or bereavement team
Please contact us as early in your pregnancy as possible, even before your first prenatal appointment. The earlier we hear from you, the sooner we can begin supporting you.
How to contact us?
Children’s Hospital of Michigan Fetal Care Center
Phone: 313-745-8324
Text: 313-402-5565
Email: [email protected]
Location: Ground Floor – Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.