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Coping with stillbirth: Insights from parents in rural Limpopo, South Africa
Lunghile Shivambo1, Dumile Gumede1,2
1Department of Development Studies, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
Background:
Stillbirth continues to be a significant global public health issue. Effective coping mechanisms are essential for parents to process their grief and heal after a stillbirth. However, research on how South African parents, particularly in rural areas, cope with stillbirth is limited.
Aim:
This study explored the coping mechanisms used by parents following stillbirth, using the Transactional Model.
Setting:
The study was conducted in the Mopani District, Limpopo province, South Africa.
Methods:
A qualitative exploratory design was employed, involving in-depth interviews with 12 purposively selected parents. Data were collected in the participants' preferred language, Xitsonga, then transcribed, translated into English and thematically analysed using Atlas.ti.
Results:
Emotion-focused coping strategies centred on acceptance, avoidance, reframing the loss, sharing experiences of stillbirth, receiving support from healthcare professionals and seeking prayer and spiritual guidance. In contrast, the problem-focused coping strategy involved distraction through meaningful activities.
Conclusion:
Despite employing all these strategies, unresolved grief may still impede effective coping.
Contribution:
The study emphasises the significance of multidisciplinary care that integrates psychological, social, and spiritual support to address the complex emotional needs of grieving parents.
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