Addressing Stillbirth in India Must Include Men

Abstract

Patriarchal societal values, son preference, deficient women's autonomy, and sex-selective abortion perpetuate the risk for future poor infant outcomes, including stillbirth, and compounds the already higher risk of stillbirth for males. Grief interventions should explore and take into account men's perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors towards reproductive decision making.

Parents’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences of care after stillbirth in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a systematic review and meta‐summary

“…Overall, the studies involved 2934 participants, including 1128 women who had experienced some form of perinatal loss; 300 were specifically identified as experiencing stillbirth. One study focused on 33 men whose wives had had a stillbirth . Most studies (27, 79%) related to women's experiences of stillbirth or perinatal loss.…”

“…Positive community support, as opposed to stigmatisation and blame, can improve bereavement experience . (FES 68%): Women who experienced emotional and material support from society, including family, friends, religious, and peer support groups reported lower perinatal grief and depression scores.…”

“…Women's experience of grief has multiple manifestations often unrecognised by the healthcare community and wider society . (FES 65%): Women across all cultures experienced grief that manifested as physical symptoms, such as fatigue and pain, and emotionally, in the form of sadness, anxiety, guilt, confusion, and anger.…”

“…Awareness of, and support for, appropriate coping mechanisms can assist grieving . (FES 65%) : A range of coping mechanisms that women found beneficial were reported, including religion and faith, distraction, family support, peer groups, self‐medication, and traditional remedies.…”

“…Access to timely and culturally appropriate psychological support is valued . (FES 59%): Cultural‐ and language‐appropriate psychological support, offered at an appropriate time, was effective in reducing anxiety, depression, and grief, and may facilitate recovery for women.…”