Coping with stillbirth: Insights from parents in rural Limpopo, South Africa

Abstract

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