ABSTRACT
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy is termed a “stillbirth” and is a sad but undeniable reality for about 1% of all pregnancies in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2017). Stillbirth, a type of perinatal loss, connects two of the most fundamental human experiences, birth and death, in a single moment. This cruel juxtaposition of the promise and joy of new life and the sudden loss of that life and its associated hopes and dreams, is a complicated matter. For grieving parents, the aftermath of a stillbirth can result in a sense of isolation and disenfranchisement. The “invisible loss” of a pregnancy or an un-realized life may not be viewed in the same way as more traditional losses such as the death of a parent or an older child (Barr & Cacciatore, 2008; Lang et al, 2011; Seftel, 2006). Society’s lack of acceptance of the family’s right or need to mourn the stillbirth can interfere with grieving and healing, leaving parents feeling vulnerable, helpless and alone (Harr & Thistlethwaite, 1990; Lang et al, 2011). Often well-meaning friends, relatives and even medical providers pull back from the family, not knowing how to respond or simply overlooking the psychological needs that may be present (Lang et al, 2011; Speert, 1992). The bereaved may experience a whirlwind of negative, contradictory emotions including shame, guilt and even envy (Barr & Cacciatore, 2008). Related thoughts and feelings associated with ambiguous loss can intensify, interrupt or perturb the healing process and contribute to further depression and relationship problems (Boss, 2006). The trauma of stillbirth can result in fundamental shifts in the mothers’ basic assumptions about herself and her view of the world, which is “forever changed” (Cacciatore & Bushfield, 2007).
