Finding the positive in loss: stillbirth and its potential for parental empowerment

Abstract

This paper reports on PhD research that investigated parental experience of stillbirth. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 10 couples and 12 mothers, it argues that while the experience of stillbirth is, to some extent, a stigmatising one – parents recount feeling like failures and report social difficulties after the loss (Murphy, 2009) – there are positives that may be taken from the experience. These, however, are more likely to emerge in the medium and longer term. Far from being ‘passive victims of prejudice’ (Shih, 2004), some parents may be empowered to take action to improve local and, in some cases, national maternity services, as well as raising people's awareness of stillbirth and breaking the silence that surrounds it.

Keywords:

• stillbirth
• qualitative research
• stigma
• empowerment
• status