Abstract

While there have been major advances in reproductive medicine, there is still a considerable risk that a woman may experience pregnancy loss and/or perinatal death. These are traumatic events, further emphasising the need for empathetic supportive care. However, there is a lack of research identifying the most appropriate bereavement care and how best to support parents in subsequent pregnancies. Findings from this thesis show that the experiences of the bereaved parents were distinctly different depending on whether they experienced miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy or perinatal death. Pregnancy loss and/or perinatal death has a profound impact on both women and men, their relationships with each other as well as with family and friends. The hospital environment can have a negative impact on bereaved parents. Pregnancy loss is often referred to as an ‘invisible loss’ as often the event may not publicly acknowledged. There is considerable misperception and misunderstanding in relation to pregnancy loss and perinatal death, which was evidenced in the individual interviews and throughout social media. How society understands and responds to pregnancy loss and perinatal death can be influential on an individual’s experience. There is a need for a better understanding of pregnancy loss and perinatal death throughout society.