Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping review
Introduction: Pregnancy is associated with a woman’s transition to motherhood; however, pregnancy-loss produces intrapersonal and sociocultural disruption, with existential implications and lowered self-esteem. Motherhood, being culture-sensitive, warrants understanding how societies view motherhood...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139125000502 |
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| Summary: | Introduction: Pregnancy is associated with a woman’s transition to motherhood; however, pregnancy-loss produces intrapersonal and sociocultural disruption, with existential implications and lowered self-esteem. Motherhood, being culture-sensitive, warrants understanding how societies view motherhood when there is pregnancy-loss, to facilitate socioculturally sensitive and supportive services for bereaved women and families. Despite feminist enlightenment, in some societies a woman is seen as “incomplete” until she has a child. In Africa, women who experience pregnancy losses, especially those with no living children, are denied motherhood recognition. Purpose: To understand the extent and type of knowledge available on motherhood when there is pregnancy loss in the African context; identify themes from psycho-social, nursing, and midwifery perspectives; and to provide a map of available knowledge as well as gaps for future for future research. Review question: What is the existing knowledge on motherhood recognition when pregnancy loss occurs in the African context?Eligible publications must be in English, it included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies, and exclude other languages, on animals, and epidemiological information. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in line with the steps of Arksey and O’Malley, modeled by the Joana Briggs Institute’s Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews Checklist. Results: A descriptive Content analysis of seven articles reported that mothers want acknowledgment, also motherhood recognition diminishes at the level of the individual, society, and health-care-workers. Conclusion: In pregnancy-loss, society must not strip bereaved mothers of their motherhood status, to promote maternal mental health. |
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| ISSN: | 2214-1391 |