ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is about women’s experiences of bereavement following the death of a baby to stillbirth, neonatal death or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It explores the personal and social contexts in which women experience the death of a baby. The book provides an overview of research into the psychosocial impacts of stillbirth, neonatal death and SIDS. It presents a sociodemographic profile of the bereaved and nonbereaved mothers who participated in the study. The book examines the context of perinatal and infant death and those background factors and features of the woman’s social environment that may influence the course of mental health adjustment over time. It concludes with a number of recommendations for the care and support of women who experience stillbirth, neonatal death or SIDS.