Grief in fars and turkmen women experiencing perinatal loss

Perinatal grief is one of the most stressful events in women's lives and can be influenced by various factors, such as cultural and ethnic background. Gorgan City in Golestan province is populated by two main ethnic groups, Fars and Turkmen, with differences in various dimensions such as language, clothing, and customs. The study aimed to compare grief among Fars and Turkmen women who experienced perinatal loss in Gorgan - 2020-2021.

The present cross-sectional study was conducted among 860 Fars and Turkmen mothers with a history of PL. A convenience sampling method was used. Participants with inclusion criteria completed the questionnaire, including demographic information and the Persian version of the Perinatal Grief Scale. A chi-square test, univariate and multiple logistic regressions were used via SPSS 16.

Fars women experienced severe grief more than Turkmen women (26% vs. 18.4%, p = 0.009). The univariate logistic regression showed that the variables of ethnicity, women's education level, and number of living children were significantly associated with the intensity of grief. After controlling for the covariates, multiple logistic regression showed that only the number of live children had a significant effect on the intensity of perinatal grief. In other words, the risk of severe grief was 79%, 77%, and 76% lower in women with one, two, and three or more children than women with no children, respectively.

The frequency of severe grief was higher in Fars women than in Turkmen. The severe grief was also associated with childlessness. It is suggested that the above differences be taken into account in providing care services to bereaved mothers.