Follow-up of Families Who Experience a Perinatal Death

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A retrospective study (10-22 mo. later) of 26 families who experienced a perinatal death was reported. Six of 26 mothers had a prolonged grief reaction (12-20 mo.). Those mothers with a surviving twin or subsequent pregnancy less than 5 months following the death were at higher risk for a prolonged grieving period than were those without subsequent pregnancy or one more than 6 mo. later. Half of the families obtained information about the cause of death and risk of recurrence only during hospitalization; subsequent contact, weeks to months later, provided additional information for the other 50%. Of 26 mothers, 22 met predetermined criteria for having an adequate understanding of cause of death and risk of recurrence; 4 of 26 knew neither. Those mothers (60%) who had adequate understanding and who had no prolonged grief response felt totally dissatisfied or only partially satisfied with the information they received and the way they received it. Follow-up contact increased understanding significantly; mothers who had in-person follow-up were more likely to be satisfied with the information they received.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: