Double-Layer Masking of Suffering After Pregnancy Loss: A Grounded Theory Study from a Male Perspective.
Sara Fernández-Basanta, Carmen Coronado, María-Jesús Movilla-Fernández
PMID 35277916WHAT IT FOUND
Men often concealed grief after pregnancy loss by telling themselves it was the best outcome and staying silent to protect their partner.
Nurses should not read stoicism as recovery; ask couples directly.
Key findings
01Men described pregnancy loss as suffering beyond physical loss, including frustration about fatherhood and added distress from their partner's suffering.
02Men masked suffering by rationalizing the loss and by keeping a façade with others.
03Hiding or repressing feelings was reported to be followed by emotional outbursts, physical symptoms, distance from their partner, or relationship tension.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and homogeneous: 22 cisgender, white, heterosexual men in relationships in one region of Spain. The study did not test whether asking men about their suffering improves care or outcomes. Couple interviews may have influenced what men said, although the authors reported that partners often helped draw out men's accounts. Findings are themes from an interpretive analysis, not prevalence estimates.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding came from Universidade da Coruña.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that a couple-centered approach has been shown to reduce men's suffering. This grounded theory study reports men's experiences and proposes a model; it did not test an intervention.