Stillbirth at Term: Grief Theories for Care of Bereaved Women and Families in Intrapartum Settings

Death in intrapartum settings poses a paradox for providers, whose expertise may be limited in assisting bereaved women and families facing the trauma of stillbirth. Many providers are familiar with Kübler-Ross' stage theory of grief; however, more recent theories augment her early work in care of bereaved persons. Through an evolving case study of a couple for whom pregnancy ends in stillbirth at term, 4 theories of grief-loss of the assumptive world, the dual process model, continuing bonds, and complicated grief-are presented to assist intrapartum care providers toward more comprehensive understanding of the complexities of grief responses not fully explained by simple stage theory. These 4 theories are not prescriptive, nor are they comprehensive; however, they are highly relevant and foundational for current understanding of responses and needs of bereaved women and families for whom pregnancy ends in death.