Unveiling silent stories of women with stillbirth at Shai Osudoku District Hospital

Abstract

Background Stillbirth remains a prevalent issue worldwide, particularly affecting low-income and middle-income countries, where it brings immense sorrow and suffering to families, especially mothers. Sadly, support for women coping with this loss is inadequate, particularly in regions like Africa, where literature on women’s experiences of stillbirth is lacking. Methods This qualitative study employed a narrative design guided by William Worden’s Four Task Theory to explore the experiences of 15 women who had experienced stillbirth, selected through purposive sampling. Semistructured interviews were conducted face to face with participants, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results The study identified three overarching themes and nine subthemes, revealing participants’ perspectives on factors contributing to stillbirth, the experiences of women dealing with this loss and their accounts of the care provided by healthcare professionals focusing on communication, response and logistical aspects. Conclusion Mothers revealed a multitude of challenges following the loss, underscoring the imperative of providing them with essential support to navigate these difficulties. Future research should delve into coping strategies and interventions aimed at enhancing the coping mechanisms of these mothers.