Between Pain and Hope: Parent’s Grief at the Diagnosis of Fetal Malformation

Abstract Objectives: to understand how parents experience grief after being diagnosed with fetal malformation during the prenatal period. Methods: this was a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study conducted in the fetal medicine outpatient clinic of a tertiary public hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará. Data were collected between May and July 2019 using semi-structured interviews. Eight subjects participated, six pregnant women and two parents. The material was subjected to categorical content analysis in light of the theoretical model of psychosocial transitions of bereavement in dialogue with perinatal psychology. Results: after the diagnosis was confirmed, the participants went through different stages of bereavement for the loss of their imaginary baby, which were not shown as linear, but with alternating feelings. Even with the diagnosis of fetal malformation, the parents’ emotional attachment to the baby remains present. The main coping strategies reported were religiosity, social and family networks, communication, and mutual support between the couple. Conclusion: the grief at the diagnosis of fetal malformation extends beyond physical loss, encompassing the loss of expectations and the need to redefine the parent’s role amidst uncertainties regarding the baby’s future. This underscores the importance of incorporating psychological services as an integral part of prenatal care.