Australian Heterosexual Men’s Experiences of Pregnancy Loss: The Relationships Between Grief, Psychological Distress, Stigma, Help-Seeking, and Support
Abstract
This study explores experiences of pregnancy loss via a questionnaire completed by a convenience sample of 48 Australian cisgender heterosexual men. The questionnaire included measures of support following pregnancy loss, recognition of loss, perceived utility of help-seeking, perceived stigma attached to help-seeking, perinatal grief, and depression and anxiety. The questionnaire also included open-ended questions focused on help-seeking and support. Higher levels of grief were related to higher levels of both depression and anxiety. Perceptions about stigma were related to the perceived utility of help-seeking. While a majority of participants had accessed formal support services, feeling supported was unrelated to either grief or depression. Participants emphasized the utility of men’s groups where members have experienced pregnancy loss, though barriers to support were also identified in terms of the unavailability of support or the perceived need to focus on a partner’s loss.
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A growing body of research has highlighted the importance of investigating men's perspectives, given potential gendered differences concerning grief, help-seeking and service access.
“However, a growing body of research has highlighted the importance of investigating men’s perspectives, given potential gendered differences concerning grief, help-seeking and service access [10–17].”
From Factors contributing to men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal death: further development of an emerging model in an Australian sample (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
With the exception of Riggs et al. [17], studies concerning factors related to grief for men have focused on specific variables such as duration of pregnancy or viewing an ultrasound image.
“Similarly, with the exception of Riggs et al. [17] who explored relationships between grief, psychological distress, stigma, help-seeking and social support, the studies outlined above concerning factors related to grief for men have also focused on specific variables such as the duration of pregnancy or viewing an ultrasound image.”
From Factors contributing to men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal death: further development of an emerging model in an Australian sample (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
There is currently limited evidence to suggest that grief following pregnancy loss is affected by gestational age.
“Despite this variability, there is currently limited evidence to suggest that grief following pregnancy loss is affected by gestational age [3, 21–25].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
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- Authors
- Riggs, D. W., Due, C., & Tape, N.
- Affiliations
- Flinders University (AU)
- The University of Adelaide (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Riggs, Damien W.
- Venue
- OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-12-17
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 409-423
- ISSN
- 0030-2228 (ISSN-L)
- 1541-3764
- OpenAlex
- W2904066167
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 3.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian Research Council (FT130100087)
- 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 › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
- Keywords
- miscarriage, perinatal grief, men's grief, heterosexual men, stigma, help-seeking, psychological distress, depression, anxiety, social support, barriers to support
- MeSH terms
- Psychological Distress, Australia, Female, Grief, Humans, Male, Men, Pregnancy, Heterosexuality
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