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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

Beyond the clinical setting: contemporary design and implementation of perinatal bereavement rooms to improve mental health outcomes

Beyond the clinical space: state-of-the-art design and implementation of perinatal bereavement rooms to optimize mental health outcomes

Perinatal bereavement care should go beyond protocols to include dedicated bereavement rooms that support privacy, dignity, and emotional safety as an essential component of comprehensive perinatal mental health care.

The presentation explores why perinatal bereavement care must address not only protocols but also the physical environment in which care is delivered, and aims to review current evidence on the design and implementation of perinatal bereavement rooms and their integration into existing bereavement programs. It notes that perinatal loss is associated with substantial psychological morbidity among parents and families, including prolonged grief, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Although many institutions have implemented bereavement care programs emphasizing compassionate communication, memory-making activities, and multidisciplinary support, less attention has been paid to the physical environments in which care is provided. Dedicated perinatal bereavement rooms, also known as angel suites or butterfly rooms, are presented as an important but frequently overlooked component of comprehensive, grief-sensitive care. The development and implementation of these spaces are described as a major focus of the WARMI Mental Health initiative, which promotes equitable and compassionate bereavement care across Latin America and beyond. The presentation synthesizes recent literature, innovative design strategies, and implementation models, emphasizing the role of therapeutic environments that support privacy, dignity, emotional safety, and family-centered care in complementing established bereavement programs. It notes that bereavement rooms facilitate memory-making activities, reduce exposure to potentially distressing birthing environments, and support individual grieving processes. Practical implementation considerations, such as multidisciplinary collaboration, staff training, institutional leadership support, and low-cost adaptation strategies, are illustrated through the WARMI Perinatal Bereavement Rooms Project and other international initiatives. In conclusion, it argues that bereavement rooms should be recognized as an essential component of comprehensive perinatal mental health care that upholds the dignity of bereaved families and supports their long-term outcomes.

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