Developing parenthood through giving birth to a dead child – bereaved lesbian mothers’ maternity care experiences in Scandinavia

Idun Røseth; Dorte Hvidtjørn; Bente Dahl

doi:10.1177/13634607231168962

Developing parenthood through giving birth to a dead child – bereaved lesbian mothers’ maternity care experiences in Scandinavia

Idun Røseth^*, Dorte Hvidtjørn, Bente Dahl

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This phenomenological study uses in-depth interviews to explore how six lesbian couples experience the loss of a child in the perinatal period. Our findings revealed the importance of developing queer parenthood through a meaningful birthing space facilitated by a midwife and enabling time and space to recognize love and beauty in the couple’s grief. Suboptimal maternity care or insensitive comments related to their lesbian status complicated the loss, while care providers’ acknowledgement and sensitivity to the specific needs of queer couples enabled them to be present in the moment and recognize and process their loss.

Original language	English
Journal	Sexualities
Volume	28
Issue	1-2
Pages (from-to)	80-96
Number of pages	17
ISSN	1363-4607
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607231168962
Publication status	Published - Feb 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

lesbian mothers
maternal grief
Perinatal fetal loss
qualitative study
queer phenomenology

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10.1177/13634607231168962

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title = "Developing parenthood through giving birth to a dead child – bereaved lesbian mothers{\textquoteright} maternity care experiences in Scandinavia",

abstract = "This phenomenological study uses in-depth interviews to explore how six lesbian couples experience the loss of a child in the perinatal period. Our findings revealed the importance of developing queer parenthood through a meaningful birthing space facilitated by a midwife and enabling time and space to recognize love and beauty in the couple{\textquoteright}s grief. Suboptimal maternity care or insensitive comments related to their lesbian status complicated the loss, while care providers{\textquoteright} acknowledgement and sensitivity to the specific needs of queer couples enabled them to be present in the moment and recognize and process their loss.",

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Developing parenthood through giving birth to a dead child – bereaved lesbian mothers’ maternity care experiences in Scandinavia. / Røseth, Idun; Hvidtjørn, Dorte; Dahl, Bente.
In: Sexualities, Vol. 28, No. 1-2, 02.2025, p. 80-96.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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AU - Hvidtjørn, Dorte

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Developing parenthood through giving birth to a dead child – bereaved lesbian mothers’ maternity care experiences in Scandinavia

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Keywords

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