Loss of a Baby in Cultural Context

The purpose of this study was to investigate the expectations of the parents from multicultural settings on the preferable support they can receive from nurse during perinatal loss. The aim of the study is to provide information of culturally meaningful care provided for families after the loss of a baby. The method of this study is a literature review. Twenty nine (n=29) articles dated 2000-2013 were selected from CINAHL (EBSCO), EBSCO Academic Search Elite, Elsevier Science Direct, Journals@OVID and manual search. The cases were from early pregnancy loss at 5 weeks to babies lost at the age of one month. The study found out that the most supportive interventions from the parents’ point of view are validation of parents status and baby’s existence, less strict visiting rules at hospital, parenting activities and time spent with the baby, creation of memories, and special attention to mother. The key position of communication process was considered, where the nurse should understand parent’s condition of being filled with various emotions and adjust the message, as well as to provide information timely and in simple terms. The nurse should ask the parents about their needs and wishes, not guess them, and personalize the care to incorporate cultural and personal needs of the patient. The study also revealed the desired virtues of culturally competent nurse, such as sensitivity, empathy and sympathy, be educated in dealing with grief and be able to ensure privacy and to be present. The nurse may discuss with the parents possible coping strategies in addition to overview of life after loss, such as encouragement of religion and spirituality, keeping active lifestyle, anticipation of new pregnancy, finding meaning in loss or stay or try to forget the loss, to name a few. The results of the study may be of benefit to all nurses and health care providers, not only those who work in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and maternity wards, but also in other health care institutions, because the burden of perinatal loss stays for years with suffering families.