Table 3.

Effect of a stillbirth on mothers and fathers and methods of coping

Participant	Response
Affected women	Mothers felt profound grief which increased with more than one stillbirth or pregnancy loss Women with consecutive stillbirths were considered cursed and lost the respect of their families and the community If it was known widely that a woman had a stillbirth, her worth may be questioned and her contributions in village meetings may not be taken seriously The woman is condemned and isolated, especially by in-laws, who encourage their son to remarry
Affected men	Experienced grief but did not cry; unlikely to mourn publicly Supportive to wives, especially in the case of a single stillbirth Blamed wife in the case of multiple stillbirths, although one man who had experienced multiple losses reported supporting his wife and not giving in to family pressure to remarry
Coping mechanisms	Support from the immediate family Older women in the extended family Trying to conceive again Counselling from sympathetic health workers Religion, belief in God