Bereavement Care Experiences of Mothers Following Stillbirth and Neonatal Death: A Latent Class Analysis.

Abstract

Objective: This study examined nuanced preferences and unmet needs for bereavement care of mothers who experienced stillbirth or neonatal death.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: The Philippines.

Sample: A total of 169 bereaved mothers aged 18 years or older who had experienced stillbirth or neonatal death on or after 30 January 2020 in the Philippines.

Methods: Response patterns to nine self-administered questions about desired bereavement care and the care they received were analysed using latent class analysis. Measurement invariance was assessed across participant types and urbanicity. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the associations between latent classes, demographics and perinatal loss information.

Main outcome measures: Desired type of bereavement care and unmet need for bereavement care.

Results: We identified three mutually exclusive stable latent classes related to desired care and unmet needs. For desired bereavement care, one class was characterised by a strong preference for seeing, holding, spending time with, and naming the baby, but low desire in memory making (25.1%). This preference was more common among mothers from urban areas (aOR = 3.04) and those who experienced stillbirth (aOR = 3.07), compared to those from rural areas and who experienced neonatal death, respectively. Regarding unmet need for bereavement care, one class reported unmet needs for memory making (28.3%), with preterm mothers (aOR = 3.11) three times more likely to belong to this class than those who delivered full-term.

Conclusion: This study offers novel insights into the complex bereavement care preferences and needs of mothers who experienced perinatal loss. The findings can inform future frameworks and guide the development of culturally appropriate, context-specific interventions for mothers and families.