Grieving From the Womb: Meaning Construction in Response to Father Loss Before Birth

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the meanings constructed by Israeli adults to their loss of a father before birth. Using the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, three themes of meaning were derived from in-depth semistructured interviews conducted with 12 Israeli adults who lost their fathers before they were born: (a) mother’s grief—a transmission of loss and grief; (b) defect, shame, guilt, and anxiety—congenital anomaly; and (c) ambiguous loss—phantom limb pain caused by an organ they did not have to begin with. An integrative view of all three themes highlights the notion that meaning construction in response to loss is a process forged by social and cultural forces and the use participants make in metaphoric language regarding physical aspects when constructing meanings to their loss. Practical implications are outlined.