Exploring the impact of healthcare workers communication with women who have experienced stillbirth in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. A grounded theory study.

This was a qualitative study, so it describes experiences and themes rather than measuring whether any communication practice improved grief or mental health. It was not meant to represent all women who had a stillbirth in sub-Saharan Africa. Women were interviewed between four weeks and 12 months after the loss, so recall may vary. Interviews were conducted by research midwives who had cared for women with stillbirth, and being interviewed by a health worker could have introduced power imbalance and social desirability. Data saturation was reported after analysis of 28 interviews, although 33 interviews were undertaken.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research. The paper states the funders had no role in design, data collection and analysis, interpretation or writing.

Do not conclude that a specific bereavement communication protocol has been shown to reduce depression or improve grief. The study reports women's accounts of what they valued and found harmful, not tested interventions.