Midwives' experiences of caring for couples having a stillbirth

Abstract

Stillbirth is defined as foetal death from 22 weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 500 grms or more. The experience of stillbirth has its profound impact not only on the women and their families, but also on midwives while providing care to these families. The aim of the study was to explore the midwives’ experiences when caring for parents having a stillbirth. The objectives were to delve into the midwives' practices when providing care to these couples, to explore the midwives' interpersonal skills when caring for these parents, and to identify the challenges that midwives experience. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, and eight midwives with a minimum of two years working experience in a local Central Delivery Suite were purposively sampled to participate in this study. Data was collected via a one-time, face-to-face, semi-structured interview using an interview schedule self-designed by the researcher. Audio-recorded data was transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the participating midwives experienced negative emotions and difficulties when caring for couples going through a stillbirth. The midwives further divulged other challenges, such as, the lack of resources and dealing with the emotions of parents. The midwives also described various care practices that they adopt to help parents deal with their loss. Having good interpersonal skills, particularly being silent and an active listener, were considered important by the participating midwives. Mixed opinions about the need for specialised training and appropriate guidelines for midwives were also voiced by the participants. In conclusion, the results exhibited that the overall experience portrays various struggles and emotional tolls on the midwife when providing bereavement care. The main recommendations emerging from this study were the provision of debriefing services and supportive guidelines, training opportunities using simulations, and more in-depth studies on midwives’ experiences from a more holistic perspective.