The meaning of rituals after a stillbirth: A qualitative study of mothers with a stillborn baby

Journal of Clinical Nursing
Ying-Fen TsengHsiu-Rong Cheng

Abstract

To explore the meaning of rituals that women and their families perform after a stillbirth. A cultural taboo in Taiwan prohibits discussing death; thus, parents of stillborn babies have no established public mourning or burial ceremonies to perform for their stillborn children. Stillbirths are often treated as if they had never happened. Qualitative descriptive study. In-depth interviews, which were transcribed and content analysed, were conducted with a purposive sample of 16 women discharged from two teaching hospitals in Taiwan after they had a stillbirth. Families engaged in rituals for two underlying reasons: to benefit the deceased child and the immediate family. The meanings of the rituals for the child are presented through three themes: (i) sending the baby's spirit to a safe place, (ii) protecting it from suffering and (iii) preparing it for a better reincarnation. The meanings of rituals for the families are presented through four themes: (i) releasing parental guilt by doing their best for the deceased child, (ii) cutting bonds with the child, (iii) avoiding additional misfortune should they mishandle the funeral and (iv) praying for a successful subsequent pregnancy. Death-related rituals are highly culturally dive...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 11, 2020·BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth·Kate Louise ObstPhilippa Middleton
Feb 20, 2019·Social Work in Health Care·Ashley D Palmer, Jodie Murphy-Oikonen
Aug 14, 2019·Death Studies·Willyane de Andrade AlvarengaLucila Castanheira Nascimento
Sep 6, 2020·Social Science & Medicine·Ayelet Oreg
Oct 24, 2020·Women and Birth : Journal of the Australian College of Midwives·Alice R RumboldPhilippa Middleton
May 14, 2021·BMJ Open·Robin S CroninUNKNOWN Maternal Sleep Position Awareness Campaign Team
Nov 21, 2021·BMC Geriatrics·Azade SafaMarzieh Araban

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