Parental experiences of grief after perinatal loss: A qualitative systematic review

Abstract

Perinatal loss disrupts the journey to parenthood, halting dreams and expectations surrounding the child and family. This study presents a systematic review of qualitative research on parental grief following perinatal loss, exploring emotional responses, gender differences, relational impacts, and the role of healthcare professionals. Following PRISMA guidelines, searches in Web of Science and Scopus identified 23 qualitative studies published between 2013 and 2023. Findings show that perinatal loss triggers profound distress, initially marked by shock, denial, and numbness, followed by guilt, envy, and isolation. Gender differences emerged: mothers more openly expressed grief, while fathers tended to suppress emotions. Healthcare professionals played a crucial role, with empathetic communication easing distress and insensitivity worsening grief. These results underscore the need for gender-sensitive and relationship-focused interventions to support parents coping with perinatal loss