Women’s experiences of stillbirth in Somaliland: A phenomenological description
Abstract
Background Low- and middle-income countries in Africa have the highest rates of stillbirths in the world today: as such, the stories of the grief of these women who have had a stillbirth in these settings need to be told and the silence on stillbirth needs to be broken. In an attempt to fill this gap, the aim of this study was to describe the experiences of Muslim Somali mothers who have lost their babies at birth.Method Qualitative interviews with ten Somali women one to six months after they experienced a stillbirth. Data were analyzed using Giorgi's method of phenomenological description.Results In the analysis, four descriptive structures emerged: "a feeling of alienation"; "altered stability in life"; "immediate pain when the sight of the dead baby turns into a precious memory"; and "a wave of despair eases". Together, these supported the essence: "Balancing feelings of anxiety, fear and worries for one's own health and life by accepting Allah's will and putting one's trust in him".Conclusions This study makes an important contribution to our knowledge about how stillbirth is experienced by women in Somaliland. This information can be useful when health care providers communicate the experiences of stillbirth to women of Muslim faith who have experienced an intrauterine fatal death (IUFD) resulting in a stillbirth.
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Cross-cultural studies with women highlight culturally-specific understandings and practices relating to loss of a baby that can impact grief.
“However, while the impact of cultural diversity is yet to be explored in men, cross-cultural studies with women highlight a range of culturally-specific understandings and practices relating to the loss of a baby that can impact upon grief [105–109].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [105]
When mothers or parents were not involved in aftercare or rituals for the deceased baby, depression and anxiety were reported.
“When mothers or parents were not involved in aftercare or rituals for the deceased baby, depression and anxiety were reported.103,104,138,143”
From Bereavement care guidelines used in health care facilities immediately following perinatal loss: a scoping review (2024) · cites this paper as [138]
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- Authors
- Osman, H. M., Egal, J. A., Kiruja, J., Osman, F., Byrskog, U., & Erlandsson, K.
- Affiliations
- Dalarna University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Erlandsson, Kerstin
- Venue
- Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-03
- Volume
- 11
- Pages
- 107-111
- ISSN
- 1877-5756 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2568683508
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 4.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Swedish development agency
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Keywords
- stillbirth, maternal grief, Somali women, Muslim mothers, intrauterine fetal death, lived experience, religious coping, maternal mental health, Somaliland
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Developing Countries, Fear, Female, Grief, Humans, Islam, Mothers, Philosophy, Pregnancy, Somalia, Qualitative Research, Parturition, Stillbirth, Young Adult
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