| Autor: |
Amankwah B; Department of Child Health, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana., Ani-Amponsah M; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana.; Maternal and Child Health Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana., Mahama M; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana.; Department of Child Health, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana., Gyepi-Garbrah A; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana.; Child Health Department, 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana., Richardson D; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana., Mensah ON; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana.; Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Adum-Kumasi, Ghana., Acquah H; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana., Kpikpitse D; Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana., Ofosu-Poku R; Department of Family Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. |
| Abstrakt: |
One of the common undesirable outcomes of pregnancy is perinatal loss. Healthcare systems strive to reduce the incidence of perinatal loss but typically little attention is on the experiences of bereaved mothers following perinatal loss, particularly in low and middle-income countries where such deaths are common. This research explored the lived experiences of mothers with perinatal loss in the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana. A qualitative design was used to explore the experiences of nine (9) bereaved mothers from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital's postnatal ward and the Mother and Baby Unit. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured interview guide, audio-recorded, and thematically analyzed. One major finding was that mothers restricted mourning their dead babies based on fear of recurrent perinatal loss and traditional beliefs on delayed return to fertility. Mothers blamed healthcare providers for their loss due to their concerns about care received. Gaps in communication flow from healthcare professionals to bereaved mothers were commonly identified as mothers struggled to make meaning of their loss and coped with cultural restrictions and beliefs. Healthcare professionals must explore mothers' concerns and "gut-feelings," and pay attention to their communication needs following perinatal loss. |
