Care and management of stillborn babies from the parents’ perspective: A phenomenological study
Abstract
Aim To explore parents' perspective on hospital's care and management of the remains of stillborn babies. Background Each year, 2.6 million of pregnancies end as stillbirth. Recent literature began to understand parents' traumatic experience in stillbirth and its profound impact on parents' mental health and psychosocial effect. But there is limited understanding on the actual care and management of the stillborn baby, nor is there an agreement on how hospitals should care for the stillborn baby to mitigate parents' profound loss. Design A descriptive phenomenological approach was applied to conduct this study. Methods A purposive sample of twenty couples (40 individuals) who had encountered how to care for the remains of their stillborn babies participated in the study. The data were collected through in-depth interviews, which involved semi-structured and open-ended questions. The phenomenological methods of Giorgi were applied to analyse the data. The COREQ checklist was used preparing the manuscript. Results Parents felt unprepared and lack of support when they had to handle their stillborn babies' remains. The research results revealed two major themes: (1) Handling stillborn babies remain ignorantly; (2) Pacifying the disturbed soul on both sides. Conclusions It was found in the study that reflection and identification were the emerging themes, which can enable healthcare professionals to understand parents' concerns in a meaningful way, as they deal with the remains of…
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Women with a history of mental health issues are at higher risk of complicated grief after perinatal loss.
“Certain populations’ needs may require particular attention beyond the basic guidelines for bereavement care, such as women with a history of mental health issues, who are at higher risk of complicated grief after perinatal loss.82,152”
From Bereavement care guidelines used in health care facilities immediately following perinatal loss: a scoping review (2024) · cites this paper as [152]
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- Authors
- Sun, J., Rei, W., Chang, M., & Sheu, S.
- Affiliations
- Chang Gung University of Science and Technology (TW)
- National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (TW)
- Asia Eastern University of Science and Technology (TW)
- Corresponding author
- Sheu, Shuh‐Jen
- Venue
- Journal of Clinical Nursing
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2021-07-06
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 7-8
- Pages
- 860-868
- ISSN
- 0962-1067 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2702
- OpenAlex
- W3181127366
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 0.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Clinical Nursing (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
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Keywords
- stillbirth, parents' perspective, grief and loss, parental support
- MeSH terms
- Emotions, Female, Health Personnel, Humans, Infant, Parents, Pregnancy, Stillbirth, Hope
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