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Women’s experiences of care and support following perinatal death in high burden countries: A metasynthesis

Kuforiji, Omotewa, Mills, Tracey ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2183-7999 and Lovell, Karina (2023) 'Women’s experiences of care and support following perinatal death in high burden countries: A metasynthesis'. Women and Birth, Vol 36, Issue 2, e195-e202.

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Abstract

Problem
The experiences of women in low and middle-income countries following perinatal death remains difficult and challenging, thereby increasing their susceptibility to negative psychological impact particularly with insufficient bereavement care and support.

Background
Perinatal death invariably brings intense grief which significantly impacts women, and requires adequate bereavement care to limit negative outcomes in the short and long-term.

Aim
To develop deeper understanding of women’s experience of care and support following perinatal death in high burden settings.

Methods
Six electronic databases were searched with relevant terms established using the SPIDER tool, supplemented by hand search of reference lists. Studies were independently screened for inclusion by all authors. Meta-ethnography (Noblit and Hare,1988) was used to synthesise existing qualitative studies.

Findings
Eight studies conducted in Sub-Saharan African and South Asian countries namely South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, India and Malawi were included, and three main themes were identified; mothers’ reaction to their baby’s death, care and support after perinatal death, and coping strategies in the absence of care and support. Perinatal death was not appropriately acknowledged therefore care and support was inadequate and, in some cases, non-existent. Consequently, mothers resorted to adopting coping strategies as they were unable to express their grief.

Discussion
There is insufficient care and support for women following perinatal death in high burden settings.

Conclusions
Further research is required into the care and support being given by healthcare professionals and families in high burden settings, thereby ultimately aiding the development of guidance on perinatal bereavement care.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: W General Medicine. Health Professions > Health Services. Patients and Patient Advocacy > W 84.4 Quality of Health Care
W General Medicine. Health Professions > Health Services. Patients and Patient Advocacy > W 84 Health services. Delivery of health care
WA Public Health > WA 30 Socioeconomic factors in public health (General)
WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 310 Maternal welfare
WQ Obstetrics > Labor > WQ 330 Complications of labor
WQ Obstetrics > WQ 500 Postnatal care
WS Pediatrics > By Age Groups > WS 420 Newborn infants. Neonatology
Faculty: Department: Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2022.07.170
Depositing User: Clare Bennett
Date Deposited: 13 Sep 2022 13:45
Last Modified: 27 Feb 2023 14:23
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/21067

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