Support for mothers, fathers and families after perinatal death

Flenady V, Wilson T

Published Online:

February 16, 2011

Not enough information about what types of interventions and the possible benefits of interventions when providing support for mothers, fathers and their families after a baby dies at birth.

The death of a baby at, or around, the time of birth is devastating for the parents and the family. It is thought that about one in five families suffer excessively in terms of more intense and prolonged grief, and other psychological adverse outcomes, if their baby dies. The review looked for trials assessing different kinds of support and counselling in such situations for parents and families, but no trials were identified. More research is needed.

Abstract (click to read)

Background:

Provision of an empathetic caring environment, and strategies to enable the mother, father and family to accept the reality of perinatal death, are now an accepted part of standard nursing and social support in most of the developed world. Provision of interventions such as psychological support or counselling, or both, has been suggested to improve outcomes for families after a perinatal death.

Objectives:

The objective of this review was to assess the effects of the provision of any form of medical, nursing, social or psychological support or counselling, or both, to mother, father and families after perinatal death.

Search strategy:

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (30 October 2007) and reference lists of articles.

Selection criteria:

Randomised trials of any form of general support aimed at encouraging acceptance of loss, specific bereavement counselling, or specialised psychological support/counselling including psychotherapy for mother, father and families experiencing perinatal death.

Data collection and analysis:

Two review authors independently assessed eligibility of trials; a third person subsequently assessed the quality of the identified trials as a part of this review update.

Main results:

No trials were included.

Authors' conclusions:

There is currently insufficient information available from randomised trials to indicate whether there is or is not a benefit from interventions which aim to provide psychological support or counselling for mothers, fathers or families after perinatal death. Methodologically rigorous trials are needed.

This record should be cited as:

Flenady V, Wilson T. Support for mothers, fathers and families after perinatal death. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000452. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000452.pub2

Assessed as up to date:

November 6, 2007

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Primary Review Group:

Pregnancy and Childbirth Group

Health topics:

Pregnancy & childbirth > Care after childbirth > Unhappiness after childbirth

Cochrane Summaries^beta

Independent high-quality evidence for health care decision making

Support for mothers, fathers and families after perinatal death

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