Stillbirth Is No longer Managed as a Nonevent: A Nationwide Study in Sweden
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Background: Giving birth to a stillborn child is a tragedy. The aim of this study is to investigate the meeting of mothers with their stillborn children and the women's experiences of support during and after the delivery. Methods: In a nationwide study in Sweden, data from 636 women who gave birth to a stillborn or live baby were collected by means of an anonymous postal questionnaire in 1994. Results: Among the 314 women who gave birth to a stillborn child, nearly every mother had seen her child, and 80 percent had caressed her baby. More than 90 percent of the mothers stated that the medical staff showed respect, and about 80 percent of the mothers stated that staff exhibited tenderness toward their dead children. The mother's assessment of respect and tenderness to her child by medical staff was almost identical between stillbirths and live births. Nearly 70 percent of the women reported that the hospital had good routines to support mothers of stillborn children. Feelings of sadness and having been deeply hurt or angered by the medical staff's behavior were reported by 37 percent of the women. A difficult balance is still to be achieved between women being forced to encounter the baby when not yet ready versus others who wish the staff had given more encouragement. The value of properly taken photographs is described. Conclusions: Treating stillbirth as a nonevent has been largely, if not entirely, abandoned in Sweden. Most mothers of a stillborn child experience that the medical staff treat their dead children appropriately.
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To be involved in decision making, parents appreciate being given options and the time to consider them (FES 20%).
“To be involved in decision making parents appreciate being given options and the time to consider them, FES 20 % [38, 41–43, 47, 50, 51, 59]”
From Systematic review to understand and improve care after stillbirth: a review of parents’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences (2016) · cites this paper as [43]
After perinatal loss, bereavement care involves carefully supporting shared decision-making, which may be facilitated by appropriate HCP/staff training and further enhanced by continuity of care.
“After perinatal loss, bereavement care involves carefully supporting shared decision-making, which may be facilitated by appropriate HCP/staff training and further enhanced by continuity of care.26,72,89,114”
From Bereavement care guidelines used in health care facilities immediately following perinatal loss: a scoping review (2024) · cites this paper as [89]
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- Authors
- R̊adestad, I., Nordin, C., Steineck, G., & Sjögren, B.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- ORCID
- Steineck, Gunnar
- Venue
- Birth
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1996-12
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 209-215
- ISSN
- 0730-7659 (ISSN-L)
- 1523-536X
- OpenAlex
- W2134124582
- Cited by
- 51
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 4.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Birth (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Keywords
- stillbirth, maternal experience, medical staff support, maternal grief
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anger, Attitude of Health Personnel, Attitude to Death, Female, Fetal Death, Grief, Humans, Mothers, Pregnancy, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Support, Sweden, Maternal-Child Nursing
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