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Experience of Perinatal Death From the Father's Perspective
Lucero Del Mar Lizcano Pabón1, María Elisa Moreno Fergusson, Ana Maria Palacios
1Lucero del Mar Lizcano Pabón, BSN, MSN, is Coordinator of Education in Nursing, Hospital Militar Central, Bogotá, Colombia. At the time this research was completed, she was a Graduate Student, La Universidad de La Sabana, Bogotá, Colombia. María Elisa Moreno Fergusson, BSN, DSN, is Professor, La Universidad de La Sabana, Bogotá, Colombia. At the time this research was completed, she was Dean and Professor, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, La Universidad de La Sabana, Bogotá, Colombia. Ana M. Palacios, MA, MD, is PhD Candidate, Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin.
Background:
Although perinatal deaths are still a common pregnancy outcome in developing countries, little is known about the effect perinatal death has on fathers.
Objective:
The aim of the study was to understand and describe the meaning of perinatal death in a sample of fathers from northeastern Colombia.
Methods:
Using purposive and snowball sampling approaches, we identified 15 participants from northeastern Colombia who agreed to participate. We used a descriptive phenomenological design. Data were collected through in-depth, semistructured interviews.
Results:
Men suffer in solitude and hide their emotions as they feel the need to be the main supporters of their partners. Three major themes emerged: experience of loss, coming to terms with an irreparable loss, and overcoming the loss.
Discussion:
While women are receiving care, health staff may neglect or forget men. Men suffer alone while seeking ways of attunement with their partners' emotions to support them during the grieving process. Fathers can overcome and adjust to the loss when they transcend it and find new meaning. Men felt neglected and marginalized at hospitals while their partners were receiving treatment. Health professionals should recognize and acknowledge the pain of fathers who face perinatal death and include them as much as possible in the standard of care. The results identify opportunities for healthcare providers in clinical and outpatient settings to acknowledge the importance of men within the context of pregnancy and to learn about their pain and suffering when they face a perinatal death.