Longer-ago baby loss: a qualitative study to explore the experiences of older women

From increased recognition that the death of a baby can have a negative impact on women's wellbeing, baby loss practices in the UK have evolved significantly over the last 40 years. Minimal research exists, however, on the impact of baby loss for women bereaved before or around this time. The present study aimed to explore older women's experiences of longer-ago baby loss.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight women to explore their lived experiences of stillbirth. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Three Group Experiential Themes were identified; 'Still screaming after all these years' representing the lifelong impact that stillbirth had and continues to have on the mothers, 'Just trying to be normal when it was anything but' representing the stigma that surrounded baby loss and how the mothers were discouraged from expressing grief, and 'Your whole perspective changes' representing how the stillbirths shaped the lives and views of the mothers thereafter.

The findings suggest that longer-ago baby loss has a lifelong impact that is linked with inadequate support, stigma and the experience of disenfranchised grief. Clinical and research implications were discussed with a focus on improving care for older women.