Women’s experiences of a pregnancy whilst attending a specialist antenatal service for pregnancies after stillbirth or neonatal death: a qualitative interview study
Abstract
Aim: Pregnancy after the death of a baby is associated with numerous, varied psychological challenges for pregnant women. This study aimed to explore women’s experiences of pregnancy whilst attending a specialist antenatal service for pregnancies after a perinatal death.Methods: Semi-structured interviews with twenty women in a subsequent pregnancy after a perinatal death were conducted and analyzed taking an inductive thematic analysis approach.Results: All women expressed a heightened “awareness of risk”. Two subthemes demonstrated how increased awareness of risk affected their experience and their desire regarding antenatal and postnatal support. Women talked about stillbirth being a “quiet, unspoken subject” causing them internal conflict as they had an awareness of pregnancy complications that other people did not. Navigating subsequent pregnancies relied on them “expecting the worst and hoping for the best” in terms of pregnancy outcomes. Women viewed specialist antenatal care in pregnancy after perinatal loss favorably, as it enabled them to receive tailored care that met their needs stemming from their increased awareness of and personal expectations of risk.Conclusion: Women’s experiences can be used to develop models of care but further studies are required to determine to identify which components are most valued.
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Specialized services provided a protective, welcoming, and emotionally safe environment, and women emphasized the value of continuity with the same professionals, which prevented the painful repetition of their stories and contributed to a greater sense of being supported.
“In line with the findings, specialized services not only provided a protective, welcoming, and emotionally safe environment, but women also emphasized the value of continuity with the same professionals, which prevented the painful repetition of their stories and contributed to a greater sense of being supported (51).”
From Experiences and long-term repercussions of perinatal grief in women after perinatal bereavement: a meta-ethnography (2025) · cites this paper as [51]
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Beato, B. V. G., Machado-Kayzuka, G. C., Neris, R. R., Payne, E., de Andrade Alvarenga, W., Leite, A. C. A. B., Silva-Rodrigues, F. M., Polita, N. B., deMontigny, F., Silverio, S. A., et al. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1661483 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
- Authors
- Smith, D. M., Thomas, S., Stephens, L., Mills, T. A., Hughes, C., Beaumont, J., & Heazell, A. E. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Manchester (GB)
- St Mary's Hospital (GB)
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Heazell, Alexander E. P.
- Venue
- Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2022-07-19
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 557-562
- ISSN
- 0167-482X (ISSN-L)
- 1743-8942
- OpenAlex
- W4285799313
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2
- FWCI
- 2.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- LSTM Online Archive (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Tommy's Baby Charity (Centre Funding 2018-2019)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Keywords
- perinatal loss, neonatal death, women's experiences, psychological challenges, postpartum support, models of care, subsequent pregnancy
- MeSH terms
- Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care, Qualitative Research, Pregnant People, Stillbirth, Perinatal Death
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