Korle Bu Rainbow Clinic offers hope to grieving families
For years, pregnancy loss in many hospitals across the country has been handled clinically but with limited emotional follow-up. A mother loses her baby, condolences are offered, discharge papers are signed, and life is expected to continue.
But at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, that narrative is changing through the introduction of the ‘Rainbow Clinic’ — a structured bereavement care system designed to support women and families after pregnancy loss.
“Pregnancy is not a disease, but when a loss happens, the emotional and psychological impact can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, in many cases, we say ‘sorry’ and move on.
That is not enough,” Dr Jerry Coleman, a Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist who is leading the initiative, told The Mirror in an interview on Wednesday.
He explained that although pregnancy loss is common in hospital settings, emotional follow-up has often been limited.
The Rainbow Clinic model, he said, was initially run on a small scale but faced challenges, including the absence of formal staff training and difficulty identifying and following up with all bereaved clients across multiple wards.
To address these gaps, the department partnered with the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Canada, to train nurses, doctors and allied health staff on how to support grieving families.
The training covered prenatal loss, grief management, trauma-informed care, communication skills for delivering bad news and the importance of conducting prenatal loss audits to improve service delivery.
Dr Coleman noted that one of the major outcomes of the training was improved understanding of trauma-informed care — an approach that recognises the impact of trauma, identifies its signs and prevents re-traumatisation.
Memory making
A key component of the new approach is “memory-making” — allowing parents to hold their baby, take photographs, keep ultrasound images or preserve hand and foot imprints.
“When a woman says she wants to hold her baby, we now understand that it is an emotional need. We are learning to provide respectful care and give families something meaningful to remember”.
“If the baby is well formed, we allow the family to keep something meaningful — a lock of hair, hand or foot imprints, or even photographs — something they can place in a memory box and say, ‘I gave birth to this child.’ They can even give the baby a name.
“Memory-making was at the top of our training list. We realised how many opportunities we had missed in the past,” Dr Coleman said.
He explained that “some mothers ask to hold their baby. Some want to dress the baby and take pictures.
Before, we did not always allow that because we did not fully understand how important it was. We now understand that this is an emotional need — a deep bond they need before they say goodbye”.
He acknowledged that beliefs surrounding pregnancy loss varied widely, sometimes creating tension between medical practice and tradition.
“We are learning to meet families halfway. If they need a pastor, an imam or a senior family member present, we involve them. Until you understand their beliefs, you cannot truly help them.”
Comprehensive care
Dr Coleman added that the Rainbow Clinic takes full responsibility for families going through pregnancy or neonatal loss, supporting them throughout the bereavement process and continuing care even after discharge.
“Our goal is to help them heal and, when they are ready, support them toward having another baby. We have incorporated a Preconception Clinic into their care.
Before they attempt another pregnancy, we assess and guide them so they can avoid the challenges that led to their previous loss.”
Grief after stillbirth
Ms Adwoa (not her real name) shared her experience of pregnancy loss and highlighted the need for improved bereavement support for families who suffer stillbirths and other forms of pregnancy loss.
She recounted having a stillbirth, saying that after the incident, the baby was taken into a room and later presented with plaster on the chest bearing a name. The baby’s hands had been folded and the body placed in an old paper box.
She explained that that remained the last memory she had of her child, an image that has stayed with her over the years.
According to her, the emotional impact of the loss was severe as she struggled with depression and anxiety for many months following the incident.
“By God’s grace, I had a baby two years ago, but the scars from that loss never left. I understand that the baby was dead and could not be revived, but at least they could have presented her in a more dignified way.
“I’m happy to hear about this clinic because other grieving families will benefit from the support it will provide,” she said.
Expanding model
Although the Rainbow Clinic model is currently operational within the department, there are plans to scale it nationally, potentially through the Ghana Health Service.
“There is no formal bereavement care system nationwide. We hope this model can be expanded so that every hospital can provide comprehensive support to families after loss,” Dr Coleman said.
He expressed gratitude to the team from the IWK Health Centre, headed by Professor Heather Scott, his assistant in the bereavement care in charge of the wellness of the mothers; Abigail Abena Asiamah, the head of department; Dr Charles Takyi, and Dr Isaac Koranteng, for their immense support for the training and beyond.
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