A recent study of mothers who experienced stillbirth or neonatal loss identified several patterns of care preferences that varied across demographic groups. Findings were published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gyenaecology.
Although the majority of neonates with fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) have a very positive prognosis, severe cases of the disease can result in death. Therefore, understanding the needs of mothers navigating loss is critical for identifying gaps in care.
The study included 169 bereaved mothers in the Philippines who completed an online questionnaire. Compared with other Southeast Asian and Pacific nations, the Philippines face elevated rates of stillbirth and neonatal mortality. Nevertheless, no official guidelines exist for supporting families through loss.
Over 70% of participants expressed a desire for more structured care after infant loss. Based on responses to nine questions regarding bereavement care, the authors identified three unique classes of respondents.
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The first class of individuals (67.4%) included those who desired care across all nine items. The second class (25.1%) included those who wished to see and hold, spend time with and name their baby. These individuals, however, did not desire to take their baby home, create memories (including photos or footprints) or hold a funeral. Mothers who lived in urban areas and those who experienced stillbirth had higher odds of belonging to Class 2.
The final class (7.5%) consisted of participants who strongly desired memory making, taking their baby home and holding funeral services. These mothers did not necessarily wish to see, hold or spend time with their baby, though.
The study also identified three classes pertaining to unmet needs in bereavement care. The first class (44.1%) consisted of respondents who were unlikely to report any unmet needs. The second class (28.3%) included those who reported high unmet needs across all survey items.
The third class (27.6%) included participants who experienced unmet needs related to memory making, holding a funeral, spending time with their baby or taking them home. Overall, mothers experiencing preterm birth had three times the odds of belonging to this group.
For diseases such as FNAIT, taking note of family demographics and contexts may shape the development of future interventions to support their emotional recovery.
“The nuanced understanding of bereavement care generated by our study underscores the need for diverse types of care and provision of personalised support, allowing mothers to navigate grief in a way that aligns with their emotional and cultural needs,” the authors concluded.
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