Spirituality

Spiritually is a universal phenomenon that closely connected with purpose, meaning, value and belief and comes into particular focus in the experience of loss and death. Although understood diversely there is consensus that spirituality is ‘a dynamic and intrinsic aspect of humanity through which persons seek ultimate meaning, purpose, and transcendence, and experience relationship to self, family, others, community, society, nature, and the significant or sacred. Spirituality is expressed through beliefs, values, traditions, and practices’ (Puchalski et al, 2014).

Birth, loss and grief are universally recognised as having spiritual and existential dimensions and impact. In pregnancy loss, expectant parents experience spirituality in both the anticipation of new life and also in the devastation of the loss or impending loss of their baby and the experience of enduring connection/bonds with their baby which has both spiritual and emotional dimensions. The provision of care in pregnancy loss also touches on the personal sense of spirituality and meaning of healthcare professionals.

Spirituality and Pregnancy Loss | Dr Daniel Nuzum

Our research in this area

• Exploration of connection, relationship, faith/belief/meaning, loss in perinatal bereavement
• Impact of perinatal death on healthcare staff
• Spirituality
• Spiritual impact of perinatal death
• Theological reflection
• Theodicy

Our people

• Professor Keelin O’Donoghue
• Dr Daniel Nuzum
• Julianna Crowley