Women’s Experiences of Utilizing Religious and Spiritual Beliefs as Coping Resources After Miscarriage

Felicity Kalu

doi:10.3390/rel10030185

Abstract

Religious and spiritual beliefs enable some bereaved women to cope better with the devastating effects of the loss of a baby through miscarriage. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of women’s utilization of religious and spiritual beliefs as coping resources after miscarriage. Heideggerian interpretive phenomenological approach guided the study. Data were collected using audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews with 10 women and analyzed thematically using the method developed by van Manen. Data analysis revealed three themes: (a) feelings of grief (b) finding meaning in loss and the purpose of life and (c) religious and spiritual beliefs as coping resources. Religious and spiritual beliefs play a major role in the lives of many individuals, and act as coping resources for many women who have experienced a miscarriage. Bereavement care providers’ understanding of religious and spiritual values of women who have experienced a miscarriage is crucial to meeting their spiritual care needs.

Highlights

The loss of a baby during pregnancy is a painful experience for many women (Murphy 2013; Bellhouse et al 2018)
Using Heidegger’s approach, the researcher was not concerned about bracketing of her preconceptions; rather she used her foreknowledge of providing perinatal bereavement care to parents and families to deduce meaning of women’s experiences of utilizing religious and spiritual beliefs as coping resources after miscarriages
Religious and spiritual beliefs play a major role in the lives of many individuals and act as a coping resource for many women who have experienced a miscarriage

Summary

Introduction

The loss of a baby during pregnancy is a painful experience for many women (Murphy 2013; Bellhouse et al 2018). Perinatal loss is an umbrella term used to describe miscarriage, stillbirth (fetal death) and death of a live born baby in the first twenty-eight days after birth (Corcoran et al 2016; Sereshti et al 2016; Agwu Kalu et al 2018). 24 weeks gestation while stillbirth is described as a baby born with no sign of life and known to have died from 24 completed weeks of pregnancy (RCOG 2010). The terminology and definition surrounding miscarriage and stillbirth vary with countries according to the number of weeks of the pregnancy (gestational age). The World Health Organization describes stillbirth as birth that occurred after 28 completed weeks of pregnancy (WHO 2016). Regardless of the gestational age, miscarriage is a global healthcare problem that can cause a psychological distress to many women (Kersting and Wagner 2012; Giannadrea et al 2013; Olson 2013; Adeniran et al 2015)

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