Pregnancy loss experiences of couples in a phenomenological study: Gender differences within the Turkish sociocultural context

Abstract

Despite the high prevalence of miscarriage and stillbirth, prenatally bereaved couples tend to experience a sense of isolation or loneliness after their loss. The purpose of this study was to describe the prenatal loss experiences of partners from a sociocultural perspective. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with 10 couples (n = 20). The findings of the study reflected the inner experiences of partners, how sociocultural context has impacted their grief experiences, and how women’s and men’s grief reactions differ within this sociocultural context.