Is it possible for parents to endure a stillbirth? Initial experiences, perceptions and strategies: individual in-depth interviews in Sweden 2021–2023
2025

Exploring Parents' Experiences After Stillbirth

Sample size: 10 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Höglund Berit, Hildingsson Ingegerd

Primary Institution: Uppsala University

Hypothesis

What are the initial experiences, perceptions, and coping strategies of parents facing stillbirth?

Conclusion

The study highlights the profound impact of stillbirth on parents and the importance of developing individual coping strategies.

Supporting Evidence

  • Parents experienced intense grief and pain after stillbirth.
  • Vaginal birth was preferred for emotional and physical wellbeing.
  • Close physical proximity to the stillborn baby helped parents cope with their grief.

Takeaway

Losing a baby before birth is really sad, and parents find ways to cope with their feelings by remembering their baby and getting support.

Methodology

Ten individual in-depth interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic network analysis.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the authors' backgrounds as midwives may influence interpretation.

Limitations

The qualitative nature limits generalizability, and the small sample size may not capture all experiences.

Participant Demographics

Participants included six women and four men, aged 22 to 53, with a median age of 31.5 years.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/s12884-024-07055-0

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