Men's Experiences With Perinatal Loss: An Integrative Review

Introduction: Perinatal loss is a tremendous loss for many and can have consequences that affect physical and mental health. This topic has been substantially examined among women; however, men's experiences with perinatal loss have lacked attention. Many men report significant grief, self-blame, stigma, loss of self-identity, lack of recognition of their loss, marginalization, and gendered expectations that negate their grieving process. This places men at risk for complicated or disenfranchised grief. Most studies examining perinatal loss have been conducted in countries outside of the United States and outside of the discipline of nursing. As nurses are concerned about holistic care of men and women, the findings resulting from studies with women and other cultural perspectives may not be generalizable to men in the United States. Purpose: The purpose of this integrative review was to examine the current state of science regarding men's experiences with perinatal loss, what is known about this loss within the nursing discipline, to identify gaps in nursing knowledge, and to expose areas for further research. Method: Online databases including CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus were used to perform the initial search. The search terms included "men," "perinatal loss," "miscarriage," "stillbirth," and "grief." Results: Themes were identified through a review of the literature that included that men experienced a loss of the role of fatherhood and identity. Additionally, men reported expectations about socially and gender-specific behavior that influenced their expressions of grief and their coping process. Finally, the lack of recognition of their loss as fathers in perinatal loss resulted in the marginalization and the use of avoidance and distraction to cope with the loss, as well as risks to the health of the partnered relationship.