Abstract:
In a lower-middle income country, such as Ghana, maternal
death still occurs even in case of providing skilled perinatal care. The impact of
maternal death on the family, community, and society has been largely studied.
However, its implications for midwifery practice in Ghana has not been extensively
investigated. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of midwives
whose clients died during the peripartum period and unearth the influence of their
experiences on their personal lives and practices as midwife.
Methods: The present study adopted a descriptive exploratory approach.
Purposive and snowball sampling were employed to recruit six midwives attending
the women who died during the peripartum period. The experiences of midwives
were uncovered using in-depth interviews. Data analysis was conducted using
Colaizzi’s phenomenological method as a frame of reference. Rigor was maintained
through member checking and prolonged engagement.
Results: Four main themes emerged from the data, including conceptualizing
maternal death, midwives initial reaction to maternal death, perceived
preparedness to manage maternal death, and building resilience (blurring the
memory). There was minimal institutional support for the midwives when
maternal death occurred. The participants used various coping strategies to
rebuild their self-confidence and professional confidence.
Conclusion: Midwives attending women who die during the peripartum period
suffer emotionally and psychologically. The implications of these experiences in
the midwifery profession are enormous. Supportive strategies should be
institutionalized to achieve the complete recovery of attending midwives and
provide experiential training of the entire midwifery staff.
