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: Irene Torshie Attachie, Ilo-Katryn Maimets, F. Beryl Pilkington
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139125000502
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author Irene Torshie Attachie
Ilo-Katryn Maimets
F. Beryl Pilkington
author_facet Irene Torshie Attachie
Ilo-Katryn Maimets
F. Beryl Pilkington
author_sort Irene Torshie Attachie
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-1ae18b81c5ee4e1ea5d4a90fd74297132025-08-20T03:32:12ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences2214-13912025-01-012310086310.1016/j.ijans.2025.100863Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping reviewIrene Torshie Attachie0Ilo-Katryn Maimets1F. Beryl Pilkington2Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana; York University, Canada; Corresponding author.Libraries, York University, Toronto Ontario, CanadaSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University, CanadaIntroduction: 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.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139125000502
spellingShingle Irene Torshie Attachie
Ilo-Katryn Maimets
F. Beryl Pilkington
Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping review
International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences
title Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping review
title_full Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping review
title_fullStr Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping review
title_short Motherhood and pregnancy loss in the African context: A scoping review
title_sort motherhood and pregnancy loss in the african context a scoping review
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139125000502
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