A Qualitative Exploration of Stressors: Voices of African American Women who have Experienced Each Type of Fetal/Infant Loss: Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Mortality

Na’Tasha M. Evans, Yu Lin Hsu, Cedric Mubikayi Kabasele, Chelsey Kirkland, Davida Pantuso, Siobhan Hicks

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Historically, African American women have experienced racial disparities in miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant mortality rates. Yet, little attention has been given to stressors that African American women may experience prior to, during, and after experiencing fetal/infant loss. This study provided an opportunity for African American women to describe their lived experiences of stressors prior to, during, and after experiencing each type of fetal/infant loss. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven African American women. Each participant experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant mortality and were 18 years of age or older. Recruitment occurred in 2019 in a county in Northeast Ohio and data were analyzed using descriptive coding and thematic analysis. Four themes identified how these African American women navigated stressors prior to, during, and after experiencing each type of fetal/infant loss: (a) social support, (b) grief, (c) internal conflict, and (d) pregnancy, delivery, and death of child. Our findings expand the literature by being an innovative study may bring awareness and influence programs that assist African American women during their experience with fetal/infant loss.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)236-263
Number of pages28
JournalJournal of Black Psychology
Volume49
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2023
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: We say thank you to the YWCA of Greater Cleveland and First Year Cleveland for funding this research.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.

Keywords

  • African American
  • infant mortality
  • miscarriage
  • stillbirth
  • stressor

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