Maternal Perception of Pregnancy Loss: Protocol for a Thematic Synthesis

Abstract

Introduction: The number of women who present this perineal loss is high. Identifying the existing knowledge about the women’s experiences and perceptions of pregnancy loss is essential to understand the impact of the phenomenon on women. This identification is also crucial to adapt and improve the healthcare provided. Subjects and Methods: A systematic literature review, meta-synthesis, of qualitative studies will be developed with the goal of obtaining a comprehensive understanding of mothers’ perception of pregnancy loss and identifying their specific support needs. Inclusion Criteria: This review will consider qualitative investigations that study the perceptions or experiences of adult women who have suffered prenatal loss. All studies published in English, Spanish or Portuguese between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2022 will be considered. This systematic review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute statement for systematic reviews of qualitative design. The Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Scopus, CINAHL®, MEDLINE® and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDRS) databases will be utilized for research. Data extraction will be performed in-peers by the researchers, using the Joanna Briggs Institute model. Finally, the available data will be analysed using a meta-aggregation approach. Conclusion: A better understanding of this phenomenon will be useful, identifying, on the one hand, the support needs of women who have suffered fetal loss and, on the other hand, also identifying the support and interventions that can be implemented by health professionals.