A new memorial dedicated to families who have experienced the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth was inaugurated at Erasme Hospital in Anderlecht on Thursday 15 October.
To mark International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, the Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B) unveiled its new “Tree of Families” near the Jules Bordet Institute. The initiative aims to break the taboo surrounding perinatal grief and offer parents a permanent place of remembrance.
Designed by Belgian artist Nicolas d’Oultremont, the sculpture is made of Corten steel and features metal leaves that gently move against one another in the wind, creating a subtle, ever-changing melody.
Located in a green space near a meditation trail, the memorial will remain accessible at all times to grieving families, regardless of whether they received medical care at H.U.B.
Breaking the silence around perinatal grief
The initiative was developed by members of Erasme Hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, who wanted to create a dedicated space for parents experiencing pregnancy or infant loss.
According to the hospital, while Belgian administrative procedures only allow babies to be officially recognised under certain conditions related to gestational age, the emotional impact of losing a child is not determined by how far a pregnancy has progressed.
“For families whose baby dies earlier, there is no dedicated place of remembrance. Yet such a place is essential for grieving parents, whose pain is in no way determined by the age of the baby they have lost,” said Dr Caroline De Coninck, a gynaecologist at the hospital.
Credit: H.U.B.
The idea for the memorial emerged from a conversation between the doctor and a father who had been informed of his unborn son’s serious health condition and the possibility of a medically indicated termination of pregnancy.
“He asked me: ‘Are there many of us who experience such sadness?’ That question stayed with me,” Dr De Coninck said.
She stressed that perinatal grief remains a taboo subject, leaving many parents feeling isolated in their experience. “With this Tree of Families, I want families to feel less alone and for us to speak more openly about these babies and their loss. Putting words to what has happened is also a way of helping families through their grieving process.”
Beyond providing a physical place of remembrance, the hospital hopes the memorial will encourage greater recognition of pregnancy and infant loss and help families understand that they are not alone.
