Continuing bonds following stillbirth: protective and risk factors associated with parental bereavement adaptation

ABSTRACT

Objective

To investigate any association between expressions of parents’ continuing bond with their stillborn baby and bereavement adaptation.

Background

Continuing bonds theory suggests that bereaved parents adapt to the loss of their child by sharing and transforming mental representations of the child, allowing them to be integrated into parents’ everyday lives. Little is known about the mental health benefits of expressing continuing bonds following stillbirth. This study examined any association between aspects of parents’ relationship with their stillborn baby, social support for the relationship, and bereavement adaptation.

Methods

Cross-sectional questionnaire study. Parents of stillborn babies (N=170) completed an online questionnaire examining engagement in continuing bonds expressions; characteristics of parents’ relationship with their stillborn baby and their experience of sharing it; social support, and meaning-making. Measures of mental health were included to quantify bereavement adaptation.

Results

Regression analyses showed that time since death, meaning-making, engaging with nature, and legacy building are positively linked to bereavement adaptation. Risk factors included inadequate social support for the relationship, a greater desire to share it more freely, an increased sense of integration with baby, and societal pressure to move on.

Conclusion

Key aspects of parents’ ongoing relationship with their stillborn baby and the social context are related to bereavement adaptation.

KEYWORDS:

• Stillbirth
• stillborn baby
• continuing bonds
• mental health
• bereavement adaptation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).