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Cited by 78Grief, Bereavement, and Mental HealthGlobal Maternal and Child HealthDeath, Funerary Practices, and Mourning

Stillbirth and Stigma: The Spoiling and Repair of Multiple Social Identities

Brierley-Jones, Lyn, Crawley, Rosalind, Lomax, Samantha, Ayers, Susan·2014·OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying
DOI 10.2190/om.70.2.a
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Abstract

This study investigated mothers' experiences surrounding stillbirth in the United Kingdom, their memory making and sharing opportunities, and the effect these opportunities had on them. Qualitative data were generated from free text responses to open-ended questions. Thematic content analysis revealed that “stigma” was experienced by most women and Goffman's (1963) work on stigma was subsequently used as an analytical framework. Results suggest that stillbirth can spoil the identities of “patient,” “mother,” and “full citizen.” Stigma was reported as arising from interactions with professionals, family, friends, work colleagues, and even casual acquaintances. Stillbirth produces common learning experiences often requiring “identity work” (Murphy, 2012). Memory making and sharing may be important in this work and further research is needed. Stigma can reduce the memory sharing opportunities for women after stillbirth and this may explain some of the differential mental health effects of memory making after stillbirth that is documented in the literature.

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  • The lack of precise data about perinatal losses entails the calculation of unreal rates of prevalence, generating a false perception of these losses as isolated cases and causing stigma in women and families affected.

    “This lack of precise data about perinatal losses entails the calculation of unreal rates of prevalence for this kind of episodes, generating a false perception of these losses as isolated cases and, therefore, causing stigma in women and families affected (Brierley-Jones et al., 2014; Fernandez et al., 2011).”

    From Integrative Review of Emotional Care Following Perinatal Loss (2021) · cites this paper as Brierley-Jones et al., 2014

  • The grief resulting from a perinatal loss is complex and unique, often causing a sense of biological failure and loss of self.

    “The grief resulting from a perinatal loss is complex and unique, often causing a sense of biological failure and loss of self.”

    From Integrative Review of Emotional Care Following Perinatal Loss (2021) · cites this paper as Brierley-Jones et al., 2014

  • Perinatal loss is characterized by lack of memories associated with the infant to help cope with grieving, loss of future expectations by the parents, and minimization by others.

    “Additionally, this type of losses is characterized by lack of memories associated to the infant to help cope with the grieving process, loss of future expectations by the parents, and minimization by others (Brierley-Jones et al., 2014; Ellis et al., 2016).”

    From Integrative Review of Emotional Care Following Perinatal Loss (2021) · cites this paper as Brierley-Jones et al., 2014

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Authors
Brierley-Jones, L., Crawley, R., Lomax, S., & Ayers, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Sunderland, United Kingdom
  • University of Sunderland (GB)
  • City, University of London (GB)
ORCID
Venue
OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2014-12
Volume
70
Issue
2
Pages
143-168
ISSN
  • 0030-2228 (ISSN-L)
  • 1541-3764
DOI
10.2190/om.70.2.a
OpenAlex
W2045428877
Cited by
78
References
22
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
FWCI
2.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • City Research Online (City University London) (acceptedVersion)
  • Sunderland Repository (University of Sunderland) (acceptedVersion)
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, stigma, maternal experience, social identity, identity work, memory formation, memory sharing, Goffman's stigma theory, maternal mental health, professional-patient interaction, family and social relationships
MeSH terms
Adult, Attitude to Death, Bereavement, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Mental Health, Parents, Social Identification, Social Support, Stillbirth, Young Adult, Social Stigma

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