P256 The Spiritual Impact of a Life-Limiting Diagnosis In-Utero

Abstract

The diagnosis of a life-limiting condition in-utero is a devastating experience for parents and their wider family. Parents begin the process of grieving before they have met their baby face to face and commence a palliative journey as their baby’s birth and death approaches. The aim of this secondary analysis was to examine the spiritual impact of a life-limiting diagnosis given to expectant parents during their pregnancy as they prepared for the likely death of their baby. The sample consisted of bereaved parents of 6 babies who received a diagnosis of a life-limiting condition during pregnancy and were cared for with a perinatal palliative care approach at a tertiary maternity hospital (8,500 births per annum). Each of the babies was stillborn between 31-37 weeks gestation. Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted following the purposive sampling of bereaved parents. The data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The diagnosis of a life-limiting condition or death in-utero had a profound and enduring impact on each of the parents interviewed. The data revealed six main themes: Searching for meaning, Maintaining hope, Importance of personhood, Protective care, Questioning core beliefs, and Relationships. All parents expressed that the death of their baby challenged their spiritual beliefs and raised deep existential questions. Parents felt that their spiritual needs were not adequately met. The faith of 1 parent became stronger as a result. The impact of a life-limiting diagnosis in-utero is immense for expectant parents. This study reveals the depth of spiritual suffering and pain associated with perinatal bereavement and highlights the need to identify and attend to the spiritual needs of parents in perinatal palliative care.