{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T20:47:31Z","timestamp":1785271651717,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,1]],"date-time":"2024-08-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1722470400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"African Union through Pan African University Life and Earth Science Institute (PAULESI), University of Ibadan, Nigeria","award":["N\/A"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["N\/A"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["bmjph"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,11]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This study explored the lived experiences and perspectives of women who had suffered a perinatal loss in Nairobi county, Kenya. Existing research works have established that perinatal loss often comes with a significant psychosocial burden, which has been made worse by negative cultural beliefs and practices. Despite this, perinatal loss grieving is rarely recognised or socially legitimated in many countries. This study aimed to shed light on the experiences of bereaved women to come up with effective interventions and combat the stigma associated with perinatal loss.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The study used a qualitative research design employing a descriptive phenomenological approach targeting women of reproductive age who had experienced perinatal loss within the previous 3 years. The study was conducted in three subcounties of Nairobi. Purposive sampling was used to identify and recruit 22 women to participate in focus group discussions. After the discussions, the audio recordings were transcribed, translated and analysed thematically. Triangulation was then done per thematic area to allow for a deeper understanding of the experiences and perceptions of the study participants.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The research identified 3 themes and 7 subthemes: (1) \u2018Psychosocial challenges of perinatal loss\u2019 with five subthemes;\u2014\u2018Emotional trauma and grief\u2019, \u2018Multiple losses and reproductive pressure\u2019, \u2018Broken relationships,\u2019 \u2018Violence and abuse\u2019 and \u2018Familial stigmatization\u2019. (2) \u2018Healthcare experiences.\u2019 (3) \u2018Stigma and cultural influences\u2019 with 2 subthemes \u2018Societal stigmatisation\u2019, and \u2018Cultural perceptions and norms surrounding perinatal loss\u2019.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Women who have experienced perinatal loss often suffer psychological torture, discrimination, abuse, stigma and trauma. The findings from this study highlight the urgent need to set-up robust support systems to assist individuals coping with perinatal loss. This will require a range of interventions, including implementing trauma management programmes, training of healthcare workers, advocacy, sensitisation and establishing support networks to address discrimination and stigma faced by those affected.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjph-2024-001050","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,3]],"date-time":"2024-08-03T13:02:04Z","timestamp":1722690124000},"page":"e001050","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Lived experiences and perspectives of women who had undergone perinatal loss in Nairobi county, Kenya: a qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"2","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6527-6717","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emily Wanja","family":"Kaburu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (including Health and Agriculture), Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christopher O","family":"Aimakhu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University College Hospital Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thomas Matenjwa","family":"Kamau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social and Public Health, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael Omondi","family":"Owor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Technology and Development Studies, International Development Institute Africa, Nairobi, Kenya"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025083110244290000_2.2.e001050.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-020-01387-6","article-title":"Effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions on psychological distress in women who have experienced perinatal loss: a systematic review protocol","volume":"9","author":"Charrois","year":"2020","journal-title":"Syst Rev"},{"key":"2025083110244290000_2.2.e001050.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"392","DOI":"10.3390\/traumacare2030032","article-title":"The trauma of perinatal loss: a scoping review","volume":"2","author":"Berry","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trauma Care"},{"key":"2025083110244290000_2.2.e001050.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Donegan G , Noonan M , Bradshaw C . 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