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  • Original Article
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Health professionals’ perspectives on bereavement following loss from a twin pregnancy: a qualitative study

Journal of Perinatology volume 36, pages 529–532 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

To provide an in-depth understanding of the perspectives of health professionals caring for parents who have lost a baby from a twin pregnancy, either during pregnancy or in the neonatal period.

Study Design:

A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews. Twenty-six health professionals were interviewed from maternity and neonatal departments in one hospital. Data were analyzed using a generative thematic approach.

Results:

Three main themes were identified from the data: health professionals’ lack of confidence in their interactions with bereaved parents; their desire to learn more about bereavement; and a consideration of sensitive health-care practices for bereaved parents.

Conclusions:

Health professionals acknowledged that parents who experience the loss of a twin have specific needs, some of which can be addressed by relatively small changes to clinical practices and behaviors. They felt, however, that they needed education about bereavement in order to react more effectively to bereaved parents’ needs.

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Acknowledgements

The research team would like to thank all the health professionals who took part in this study. We would also like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of Professor Steve Robson, Professor of Fetal Medicine, Jane Denton, CBE (Director of the Multiple Births Foundation and Chair of the project Steering Group), Claire Campbell (Senior nurse In NICU) and Sandra Bosman (Multiples Midwife). This project was funded by the Tiny Lives Trust. Registered Charity Number: 700510. The funders played no part in the study design, data collection, data analysis, report writing or publication decisions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

    J Richards, N D Embleton & J Rankin

  2. Department of Sociology, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

    R H Graham

  3. Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Neonatal Service, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

    N D Embleton

Authors
  1. J Richards
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  2. R H Graham
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  3. N D Embleton
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  4. J Rankin
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Correspondence to J Rankin.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Journal of Perinatology website

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Richards, J., Graham, R., Embleton, N. et al. Health professionals’ perspectives on bereavement following loss from a twin pregnancy: a qualitative study. J Perinatol 36, 529–532 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2016.13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2016.13

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