Nurses’ and midwives’ experiences of supporting parents following perinatal bereavement: A qualitative systematic review
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Published Version
Date
2026-05-23
Authors
Gao, Hong
Iwunze, Chinyere Justina
An, Xuemei
Zhou, Ting
Curtin, Margaret
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier B.V.
Published Version
Abstract
Background Perinatal loss is a significant global health issue that affects millions of families worldwide and represents a profound emotional challenge for both parents and healthcare professionals. Nurses and midwives play a key role in providing care and support to parents during this difficult period. However, many report feeling underprepared and inadequately supported when delivering perinatal bereavement care. Objectives We sought to explore the experiences of nurses and midwives of supporting parents following perinatal loss, to examine the personal and professional impact of providing bereavement care on nurses and midwives, and to identify the key facilitators and challenges they encounter in this role. Design A qualitative systematic review of the literature. Information sources PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus. Methods We conducted a systematic literature search, limited to English language publications, in the above databases from January 2015 to November 2025. Two reviewers independently performed study selection and data extraction and assessed methodological quality using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool. The extracted data were then analyzed and synthesized using a thematic synthesis approach to identify patterns and generate comprehensive insights into the experiences of nurses and midwives providing bereavement care. Results A total of 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. From these, we identified three major themes: (1) a caring role in supporting bereaved parents; (2) the impact of bereavement care on nurses and midwives; and (3) facilitators and barriers to providing bereavement care. Each main theme included several sub-themes. Conclusion Perinatal loss had a profound impact on the psychological and physical well-being of nurses and midwives; a variety of coping strategies were used to navigate these challenges. Both bereavement care training and organisation support were seen as essential for them to prepare themselves. There appears to be an urgent need for an effective bereavement care training program created for nurses and midwives, as well as open discussion, informal debriefing sessions among colleagues working in maternity units. What’s more, institutional support and managerial support may be important as well.
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Keywords
Experiences , Midwifery , Nurses , Perinatal bereavement , Perinatal loss , Systematic review , [NursingMidwifery]
Citation
Gao, H, Iwunze, C J, An, X, Zhou, T & Curtin, M 2026, 'Nurses’ and midwives’ experiences of supporting parents following perinatal bereavement: A qualitative systematic review', International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, vol. 11, 100538, pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnsa.2026.100538