The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2023 - 16

Interpreting for
Infant and
Pregnancy Loss
When I speak to medical interpreters about the complexities of
interpreting for infant and pregnancy loss, it's in tribute to the little girl
who made me a mother.
Note: This article contains sensitive, potentially triggering content.
By Marisa Rueda Will
Your baby doesn't
have a heartbeat. "
The words no parent wants
to hear. And the words no
interpreter wants to relay.
Six years into my career
as a health care interpreter,
I had already interpreted
for miscarriages, induced
abortions, and adoptions.
But when I lost my baby, it
changed my life forever.
Maya's Story
It was April 2012, and I was 27
weeks and two days pregnant
with my first child. My
husband Adam and I found
out we were having a girl and
already knew her name would
be Maya. At my previous
obstetrician visit at 24 weeks
everything looked great. The
doctor even said that " the
baby was happy in there. "
Just as I turned 27 weeks,
I wasn't sure if I could
feel her moving. Counting
fetal movements doesn't
start until 28 weeks, and
I still wasn't sure how to
distinguish between baby
movements and other
sensations common in the
16 The ATA Chronicle | January/February 2023
first and second trimester.
To complicate things further,
I had an anterior placenta,
which the doctor said would
make it harder for me to feel
the baby move.
I tried to push the thought
that something was wrong
out of my head. It was a
Friday and we had plans
over the weekend to see The
Phantom of the Opera with
my parents. I wanted Maya
to feel the joy I felt when
witnessing an enthralling
musical performance.
On Sunday night, I told
Adam we should go to
the hospital for peace of
mind. I still believed I was
overreacting, but I knew I
would be anxious if I didn't
get examined.
When we got to the
hospital, I changed into
a gown and went to the
bathroom. I remember
thinking the baby was lying
low. The nurse took my
history and we waited for the
resident to come.
The resident entered the
room with the portable
ultrasound and did an exam.
I remember her rubbing the
transducer slowly back and
forth over my abdomen many
times. Finally, she looked at us
and said the dreaded words,
" your baby doesn't have a
heartbeat. I'm so sorry. "
I froze. To this day, I can't
remember what the resident
looked like. I'm sure there
were some other questions
asked and answered, but I
don't remember them. Even
now when I think about that
moment, I can feel myself
frozen in time, unbelieving.
Thinking, how could this be
happening? The doctor had
just told me a few weeks
earlier that my baby was
" happy. " How could my
baby be dead?
Suddenly, Adam and I
were faced with decisions
we never imagined we would
have to make. The doctors
asked us if we wanted to go
home and wait for labor to
start spontaneously or initiate
an induction. I couldn't
comprehend that I was
going to have to give birth
to my dead child. I thought
there must be an easier way.
Couldn't they do a procedure?
Why would I have to suffer
through labor and go home
with empty arms?
The physicians explained
that it was the healthiest
option for me and the
most likely to prevent
complications in future
pregnancies. I reluctantly
opted to start the induction
process. It was surreal. I
had gone to the hospital
for reassurance and now I
was staying to deliver my
stillborn daughter.
Adam and I called our
parents to tell them what
had happened. It was
heartbreaking to be the
bearer of such news. Maya
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The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2023

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