The Impact of Stillbirth on Maternal Wellbeing.

Kathleen Massmann, Shobha Jagannatham, Joanne Stone, Lawrence D Platt

Journal: Obstetrics and gynecology clinics of North America 2025;52(1):145-156

PMID: 39880561

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Several parents globally face stillbirth, which takes a toll on their mental health and well-being. We would like to discuss the differences between grief and mental health and ways care must be tailored toward the specific needs of the bereaved. Recent research shows that there is a sense of personal responsibility that accompanies stillbirth and pregnancy loss. Feelings of guilt and shame are common in bereaved mothers because their child's death occurred within their bodies. There is a lack of formal training and education that leave clinicians feeling helpless in the face of grief following stillbirth.

Address: Healing Moments Counseling, 1262 Cedar Street, Monticello, MN 55362, USA.; Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, NY, USA.; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA.; Center for Fetal Medicine and Women's Ultrasound, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.ogc.2024.08.012

Link outs

Free resources

Medical:

https://medlineplus.gov/mentalhealth.html

Subscription / membership required

Full Text Sources:

MeSH Terms: Humans, Stillbirth, Female, Pregnancy, Grief, Mothers, Bereavement, Mental Health, Adaptation, Psychological