Reproductive Trauma and Identity: Navigating Infertility, Loss, and Transition
By Dr. Solimar Santiago-Warner, LCSW, PMH-C
Perinatal Mental Health & Reproductive Justice-Informed Therapist
Introduction: When Motherhood Meets Trauma
Reproductive experiences—whether infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, or complicated postpartum journeys—are deeply tied to identity. For many, these moments carry the weight of hope, loss, and transition all at once. When reproductive trauma occurs, it disrupts not only the dream of parenthood but also one’s sense of self, relationships, and belonging.
At Solmaterna Psychotherapy & Consulting, we recognize that reproductive trauma is not only an individual experience but also shaped by cultural, systemic, and historical factors. For BIPOC birthing people, the journey of navigating infertility and loss is inseparable from questions of justice, identity, and survival.
Understanding Reproductive Trauma
Reproductive trauma encompasses the psychological, emotional, and somatic impact of infertility, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, or reproductive health complications. Unlike an isolated medical event, reproductive trauma lingers in the body and mind, often leaving individuals feeling:
Grief and loss over the imagined child, body changes, or missed milestones.
Disrupted identity as one’s sense of being a parent, partner, or whole self is shaken.
Isolation due to silence and stigma surrounding reproductive struggles.
Trauma responses such as hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, or somatic symptoms like body tension and panic.
This trauma is not only personal—it is also systemic. Access to fertility treatments, compassionate care, and mental health support are not equitably distributed, and marginalized communities often face additional barriers.
Infertility and Grief: More Than a Medical Diagnosis
Infertility is often framed in clinical terms, but its impact goes far beyond biology. It can stir grief that feels disenfranchised—unseen by others because the loss is invisible. Many clients describe feeling like they are “grieving in silence” while simultaneously carrying the pressure of cultural or familial expectations.
For BIPOC communities, infertility is layered with additional challenges:
Cultural narratives that frame parenthood as central to identity and womanhood.
Medical inequities that lead to delayed diagnosis or lack of access to fertility care.
Historical trauma such as forced sterilization and reproductive control that shapes mistrust in healthcare systems.
Acknowledging these histories is crucial for compassionate, justice-centered care.
Identity Transitions in Motherhood and Beyond
Reproductive trauma reshapes identity in ways that are often overlooked. Clients may find themselves asking: Am I still a mother after loss? Who am I if I cannot conceive? How do I hold both grief and hope at the same time?
Identity transitions may include:
Reframing parenthood: Expanding ideas of what it means to mother or parent, including through community care or chosen family.
Reclaiming the body: Learning to trust and reconnect with a body that feels like it has “betrayed” them.
Negotiating relationships: Navigating shifts in intimacy, communication, and support with partners, family, and friends.
Integrating loss into self-concept: Honoring both grief and resilience as part of one’s ongoing narrative.
Therapy that centers identity alongside grief allows individuals to reclaim agency and meaning during these transitions.
A Reproductive Justice Lens
The reproductive justice framework, created by Black women activists, reminds us that reproductive experiences are inseparable from systemic inequities. Reproductive justice affirms that every person has the right to:
Have children.
Not have children.
Parent children in safe and healthy environments.
For BIPOC communities, reproductive trauma is magnified by systemic racism, economic inequities, and barriers to care. A justice-oriented approach requires clinicians to:
Acknowledge the intersection of race, gender, and class in reproductive experiences.
Validate how structural inequities compound grief and trauma.
Offer care that is culturally responsive, affirming spirituality, language, and traditions.
Partner with clients in advocating for systemic change in healthcare access and policies.
How Therapy Can Support Healing
Reproductive trauma therapy is not about erasing grief but about helping clients integrate it into their lives in ways that honor their identity and values. At Solmaterna, our trauma-informed, culturally responsive care includes:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Supporting clients in processing traumatic memories, medical procedures, or loss.
DBT and coping tools: Building skills to manage distress, regulate emotions, and cultivate self-compassion.
Somatic and body-based approaches: Helping individuals reconnect with their bodies after reproductive trauma.
Narrative and ritual-based practices: Creating meaning through storytelling, journaling, letters, or memorials.
Community-centered healing: Recognizing the importance of collective care, cultural rituals, and intergenerational wisdom.
Closing: Honoring Identity in the Midst of Grief
Reproductive trauma is never only about loss—it is also about identity, resilience, and the search for meaning. For those navigating infertility, perinatal loss, or transitions in motherhood, healing requires compassion, justice, and the recognition that grief can coexist with growth.
At Solmaterna Psychotherapy & Consulting, we honor your story, your body, and your right to grieve and heal on your own terms.
