Perinatal Bereavement Counseling Training for Midwives

Perinatal bereavement is a condition that can lead to serious psychological problems for parents and their families. Bereaved women are at high risk of mental health problems (e.g. anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression). They may also blame themselves and their bodies for the loss and feel inadequate. Inadequate support from their environment in this process may lead them to experience social isolation. Research highlights the impact of caring for bereaved parents on health professionals, and that inadequate training can have a negative impact. In this context, there is a need for well-structured and tailored training programmes that focus on the specific needs and skills required to provide appropriate bereavement care to parents experiencing pregnancy loss and perinatal death. In this context, this study was planned both to prepare a training programme with evidence of effectiveness and to investigate the effectiveness of perinatal bereavement counselling training for midwives.