Midwives’ experience of maternal death

Abstract

In Morocco, maternal mortality is a crucial public health problem with a current rate of 72.6/100000 live births. This phenomenon is emotionally overwhelming, and the midwife’s experience of this drama is disordering. To explore how midwives experience maternal death, the resulting consequences, and the coping strategies used to overcome it. 19 midwives were interviewed and reported 39 cases of maternal death. The results show that no midwife remains indifferent to maternal death. The experience is painful, and the grief of the families is transferred to the midwife. Sadness, denial, fear, feelings of guilt and failure have characterized almost all the victims. In the face of her suffering, the midwife mobilizes coping strategies. The consequences are diverse: psychological, somatic, and professional. The experience of maternal death associated with unfavorable working conditions and lack of recognition increases stress and leads to the intention to abandon the profession. The improvement of working conditions, the focus on teamwork, the implementation of discussion groups, professionalize the experience of maternal death.