Factors associated with the grief after stillbirth: a comparative study between Brazilian and Canadian women

Abstract

Factors associated with the grief after stillbirth: a comparative study between Brazilian and Canadian women * Extracted from the thesis "Luto por óbito fetal: estudo comparativo entre mulheres brasileiras e canadenses", Programa ABSTRACT Objective:To verify the association between complicated grief and sociodemographic, reproductive, mental, marital satisfaction, and professional support characteristics in women after stillbirth. Method: Cross-sectional study with 26 women who had stillbirth in 2013, living in the city of Maringá, Brazil, and eight women who attended the Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Intervention Familiale at the University of Quebec en Outaouais, in Canada. The instrument was administered as an interview to a small number of mothers of infants up to three months (n=50), who did not participate in the validation study. Results: By applying the short version of the Perinatal Grief Scale, the prevalence of complicated grief in Brazilian women was found to be higher (35%) in relation to Canadian women (12%). Characteristics of the Brazilian women associated with the grief period included the presence of previous pregnancy with live birth, absence of previous perinatal loss, postpartum depression, and lack of marital satisfaction. For the Canadians it was observed that 80% of the women presenting no grief made use of the professional support group. In both populations the occurrence of complicated grief presented a higher prevalence in women with duration of pregnancy higher than 28 weeks. Conclusion: The women that must be further investigated during the grief period are those living in Brazil, making no use of a professional support group, presenting little to no marital satisfaction, having no religion, and of a low educational level.

Parents’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences of care after stillbirth in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a systematic review and meta‐summary

“…Positive community support, as opposed to stigmatisation and blame, can improve bereavement experience . (FES 68%): Women who experienced emotional and material support from society, including family, friends, religious, and peer support groups reported lower perinatal grief and depression scores.…”

“…Women's experience of grief has multiple manifestations often unrecognised by the healthcare community and wider society . (FES 65%): Women across all cultures experienced grief that manifested as physical symptoms, such as fatigue and pain, and emotionally, in the form of sadness, anxiety, guilt, confusion, and anger.…”

“…Access to timely and culturally appropriate psychological support is valued . (FES 59%): Cultural‐ and language‐appropriate psychological support, offered at an appropriate time, was effective in reducing anxiety, depression, and grief, and may facilitate recovery for women.…”

Maternal mourning: pain and coping with the loss of a baby

“…When the child dies, health care is terminated (13) . But it would be expected to start another cycle of care, in this context, a strategy that could be devised by the health services could be the organization of support groups for mothers who lost children, allowing the sharing of experiences and mutual support among women Who experience this suffering (4) .…”

Translation and Validation of the Persian Version of the Perinatal Grief Scale in Iranian Mothers with an Experience of Pregnancy Loss

“…Therefore, dealing with mothers after the loss experience is an indispensable part of their care to help ease the normal grief process (9). It is very important to investigate the grief process in these mothers in order to provide psychological support and necessary care for them (11).…”