Women’s experiences of a pregnancy whilst attending a specialist antenatal service for pregnancies after stillbirth or neonatal death: a qualitative interview study

Abstract

Aim: Pregnancy after the death of a baby is associated with numerous, varied psychological challenges for pregnant women. This study aimed to explore women’s experiences of pregnancy whilst attending a specialist antenatal service for pregnancies after a perinatal death. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with twenty women in a subsequent pregnancy after a perinatal death were conducted and analyzed taking an inductive thematic analysis approach. Results: All women expressed a heightened “awareness of risk”. Two subthemes demonstrated how increased awareness of risk affected their experience and their desire regarding antenatal and postnatal support. Women talked about stillbirth being a “quiet, unspoken subject” causing them internal conflict as they had an awareness of pregnancy complications that other people did not. Navigating subsequent pregnancies relied on them “expecting the worst and hoping for the best” in terms of pregnancy outcomes. Women viewed specialist antenatal care in pregnancy after perinatal loss favorably, as it enabled them to receive tailored care that met their needs stemming from their increased awareness of and personal expectations of risk. Conclusion: Women’s experiences can be used to develop models of care but further studies are required to determine to identify which components are most valued.

Keywords

• health psychology
• perinatal death
• stillbirth
• neonatal death
• pregnancy after loss