Permissão para sofrer: atuação da Psicologia Hospitalar no acolhimento ao luto perinatal

Abstract

Perinatal grief constitutes an experience of intense emotional suffering that is often overlooked in social and institutional contexts, making it difficult to recognize and provide adequate care to bereaved families. In this context, Hospital Psychology plays a fundamental role by offering emotional support, qualified listening, and psychological assistance throughout the process of coping with the loss. This study aimed to understand perinatal grief from the perspective of Hospital Psychology, reflecting on the invisibility of this experience and the possibilities for psychological intervention in the hospital setting. This is a theoretical essay developed through qualitative bibliographic research, based on authors who discuss the historical construction of motherhood, grief theories, disenfranchised grief, and the role of Hospital Psychology. The analysis showed that perinatal loss goes beyond the biological dimension of a baby's death, involving the disruption of emotional bonds, parental projects, expectations, and the developing maternal identity. It was also observed that the insufficient social validation of this type of loss contributes to isolation, intensifies psychological suffering, and hinders the grieving process. It is concluded that Hospital Psychology plays a strategic role in recognizing and providing support for perinatal grief, contributing to the humanization of healthcare, the validation of families' pain, and the development of more ethical, sensitive, and integrated care practices.