about WiSSP

Catherine A Reiser, M.S.

Guidelines for Care
We have been asked by a subcommittee of the American College of Medical Genetics to participate in the drafting of guidelines for care following intrauterine death. Others who will be initially involved include John Graham, M.D., D.Sc., of Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles and Cindy Curry, M.D., of Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno, California. (Dr. Curry is also the author of this issue’s guest article, on diaphragmatic hernia.) A working document will be generated within the next two months and will then be discussed at an ‘experts’ conference held in conjunction with the ACMG annual meeting in March, 1996.

International Bereavement Conference
On October 20-21 we were privileged to participate in the International Bereavement Conference held in Chicago and sponsored by RTS Bereavement Services. It was an excellent experience for a number of reasons. First, it was an opportunity to meet many wonderful, caring professionals from as far away as Canada, Hawaii and even Wisconsin! Thank you to those of you from Wisconsin who introduced yourselves to us. It is always nice to put a face with a name. Second, it was encouraging to learn through the many exhibitors and the resource center about the special and unique ways people are reaching out to bereaved parents. We hope to share some of these with you in future issues. Third, it was a chance to seek out others who would share their expertise through a guest article in WiSSPers. Look for articles on working with grieving teen moms and a discussion of a successful program for helping parents through the anxious moments of a subsequent pregnancy.

And lastly, it is always a pleasure to be part of a well planned effort. The staff of RTS Bereavement Services did a superb job of planning this conference. Congratulations!

Annual Follow-up Survey
It is time again to send out the WiSSP annual follow up survey. Expect it to arrive before the end of the year. Please don’t let it get lost in your December mail. None of what we have accomplished would have been possible without your commitment and cooperation. Your comments on how we are doing and what we could do better to help you when a family you are working with loses a baby are important. When your survey arrives, take a few moments to thoughtfully complete it and return it to us. Thanks in advance for your help with this ongoing task.