“It’s such a hard and lonely journey”: Women’s experiences of perinatal loss and the subsequent pregnancy

Wheeler, Naomi

Abstract

Background: Perinatal losses are devastating life changing events for mothers, with psychological consequences both after loss and in the following pregnancy. Societal taboos result in disenfranchised grief, with inconsistent support available.

Aims: This qualitative study aimed to understand the holistic journey of perinatal loss and the subsequent pregnancy from mothers with lived experience, exploring what support made a meaningful difference.

Methods: Qualitative data were collected via forty online surveys and five face-to-face semi-structured interviews with mothers who had experienced a perinatal loss followed by a living child. The data were then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to develop themes that can inform policy and practice.

Findings: Under the overarching theme “losing [a baby] shaped who I am today” three main themes were developed, representing the development of the individual. The first theme centred on the embodied experience, capturing the unique nature of losses taking place within the living body, how this impacted women’s relationship with their body and fed into the next pregnancy with a mixture of hope and trepidation. Secondly, language was developed by participants to challenge societal silence, legitimise the personhood of their loss, whilst creating a community of support. The final theme, “it’s my body, it’s my pregnancy” denotes women taking action to develop choice and ownership over their care and support needs, whilst navigating the reliance on and frustration with the healthcare system.

Conclusion: These findings have implications for therapeutic practice, as well as healthcare policy and practice more broadly. The lasting impact of perinatal losses suggests that fertility narratives need to be considered when developing psychological formulations. Counselling psychology can play a meaningful role in perinatal care by supporting healthcare professionals in developing empathic care pathways that validate grief responses, as well as challenging the pervasive medical language of both perinatal losses and distress.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Mar 31, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 5, 2021
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7244045
• Award Date: Aug 5, 2021