BACKGROUND Bereaved parents experience higher rates of depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms after the stillbirth of a baby than after live-birth. Yet, these effects remain underreported in the literature and, consequently, insufficiently addressed in health provider education and practice. We conducted a participatory based study to explore the experiences of grieving parents during their interaction with health care providers during and after the stillbirth of a baby. METHODS This community-based participatory study utilized four focus groups comprised of twenty-seven bereaved parents (44% fathers). Bereaved parents conceptualized the study, participating at all stages of research, analyses, and drafting. Data were reduced into a main theme and subthemes, then broad-based member checked to ensure fidelity and nuances within themes. RESULTS The major theme that emerged centered on provider acknowledgement of the baby as an irreplaceable individual. Subthemes reflected 1) acknowledgement of parenthood and grief, 2) recognition of the traumatic nature of stillbirth, and 3) acknowledgement of enduring grief coupled with access to support. It was important that providers realized how grief was experienced within health care and social support systems, concretized by their desire for long-term, specialized support. CONCLUSIONS Both mothers and fathers feel that acknowledgement of their baby as an individual, their parenthood, and their enduring traumatic grief by healthcare providers are key elements required in the process of initiating immediate and ongoing care after the stillbirth of a baby.

中文翻译：

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丧亲的父母希望医护人员知道他们的婴儿何时死产：一项基于社区的参与性研究。

背景技术丧亲的父母在婴儿死产后比在活产后经历抑郁和创伤后应激症状的发生率更高。但是，这些影响在文献中仍未充分报道，因此在卫生服务提供者的教育和实践中未能充分解决。我们进行了一项基于参与性的研究，以探讨父母在婴儿死产期间和之后与医疗服务提供者的交往中的悲伤经历。方法这项基于社区的参与性研究采用了四个重点小组，其中包括27名丧亲的父母（父亲占44％）。丧亲的父母将研究概念化，参与研究，分析和起草的所有阶段。将数据简化为主要主题和子主题，然后检查基础广泛的成员，以确保主题内的保真度和细微差别。结果出现的主要主题集中在提供者对婴儿作为不可替代的个人的认可。子主题反映了1）对父母身份和悲伤的承认，2）对死产的创伤性质的认识，以及3）对持久痛苦和获得支持的承认。重要的是，提供者必须意识到对医疗保健和社会支持系统的悲痛经历，因为他们渴望获得长期专业支持。结论父母双方都认为，对婴儿的个人认识，父母的身份以及医疗保健提供者的持久创伤是在婴儿死产后开始立即和持续护理的过程中所需要的关键要素。