Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences
The loss of an infant at the prenatal stage is one of the most traumatic events parents can experience. Prenatal losses have several negative implications for parents’ physical, psychological, and social well-being, including intimacy and sexuality. Fathers who suffer from this experience have to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MRE Press
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Men's Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://oss.jomh.org/files/article/20230228-44/pdf/JOMH15982.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797326701235011584 |
|---|---|
| author | Marcos Camacho-Ávila Encarnación Hernández-Sánchez Alba Fernández-Férez Isabel María Fernández-Medina Cayetano Fernández-Sola María Belén Conesa-Ferrer María Isabel Ventura-Miranda |
| author_facet | Marcos Camacho-Ávila Encarnación Hernández-Sánchez Alba Fernández-Férez Isabel María Fernández-Medina Cayetano Fernández-Sola María Belén Conesa-Ferrer María Isabel Ventura-Miranda |
| author_sort | Marcos Camacho-Ávila |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The loss of an infant at the prenatal stage is one of the most traumatic events
parents can experience. Prenatal losses have several negative implications for
parents’ physical, psychological, and social well-being, including intimacy and
sexuality. Fathers who suffer from this experience have to cope not only with
their grief, but also with the physical and emotional suffering of their
partners. The social context gives the father a masculine role of strength,
insensitivity, and protection of the mother, with the result that his pain and
grief become invisible. The objective of this study is to understand fathers’
experience of affective-sexual relationships after a grieving process for an
antenatal death; A qualitative study based on interviews with 11 fathers in Spain
who have experienced an antenatal death was conducted. Data were analyzed with
the help of ATLAS.ti software to discover emerging themes. 6 sub-themes were
developed from the analysis, grouped into two main themes: the invisibility of
grieving fathers and the relationships between the grieving parents are
influenced by the death of their infants. The sexuality of fathers who suffer an
antenatal death is altered. Gender stereotypes and the lack of social and
professional awareness make their grief invisible. Fathers need to express their
emotions to cope with their own grief and break the stereotypical gendered
bereavement. In most cases, the couple’s relationship is altered, from a close
union to a more distant relationship, in addition to a decrease in sexual desire
and arousal. However, other fathers experienced greater closeness and intimacy in
the couple. A communication based on sincerity, exposing their own grief,
feelings, emotions and needs could help the couple’s relationship. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:28:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ec3bb1c7e3d4c0f8eaf37413af9a2fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1875-6859 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:28:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MRE Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Men's Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ec3bb1c7e3d4c0f8eaf37413af9a2fb2024-02-03T13:23:29ZengMRE PressJournal of Men's Health1875-68592023-02-01192364410.22514/jomh.2023.010S1875-6867(23)00468-2Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiencesMarcos Camacho-Ávila0Encarnación Hernández-Sánchez1Alba Fernández-Férez2Isabel María Fernández-Medina3Cayetano Fernández-Sola4María Belén Conesa-Ferrer5María Isabel Ventura-Miranda6Delivery Room Service, Santa Lucia University Hospital, 30202 Cartagena, SpainDelivery Room Service, Torrevieja University Hospital, 03186 Torrevieja, SpainHealth District of Almería, 04009 Almería, SpainDepartment of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, SpainDepartment of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, SpainFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, SpainThe loss of an infant at the prenatal stage is one of the most traumatic events parents can experience. Prenatal losses have several negative implications for parents’ physical, psychological, and social well-being, including intimacy and sexuality. Fathers who suffer from this experience have to cope not only with their grief, but also with the physical and emotional suffering of their partners. The social context gives the father a masculine role of strength, insensitivity, and protection of the mother, with the result that his pain and grief become invisible. The objective of this study is to understand fathers’ experience of affective-sexual relationships after a grieving process for an antenatal death; A qualitative study based on interviews with 11 fathers in Spain who have experienced an antenatal death was conducted. Data were analyzed with the help of ATLAS.ti software to discover emerging themes. 6 sub-themes were developed from the analysis, grouped into two main themes: the invisibility of grieving fathers and the relationships between the grieving parents are influenced by the death of their infants. The sexuality of fathers who suffer an antenatal death is altered. Gender stereotypes and the lack of social and professional awareness make their grief invisible. Fathers need to express their emotions to cope with their own grief and break the stereotypical gendered bereavement. In most cases, the couple’s relationship is altered, from a close union to a more distant relationship, in addition to a decrease in sexual desire and arousal. However, other fathers experienced greater closeness and intimacy in the couple. A communication based on sincerity, exposing their own grief, feelings, emotions and needs could help the couple’s relationship.https://oss.jomh.org/files/article/20230228-44/pdf/JOMH15982.pdffathersgendergriefperinatal griefmasculinitysexualityfetal death |
| spellingShingle | Marcos Camacho-Ávila Encarnación Hernández-Sánchez Alba Fernández-Férez Isabel María Fernández-Medina Cayetano Fernández-Sola María Belén Conesa-Ferrer María Isabel Ventura-Miranda Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences Journal of Men's Health fathers gender grief perinatal grief masculinity sexuality fetal death |
| title | Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences |
| title_full | Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences |
| title_fullStr | Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences |
| title_short | Sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death: a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences |
| title_sort | sexuality and affectivity after a grieving process for an antenatal death a qualitative study of fathers experiences |
| topic | fathers gender grief perinatal grief masculinity sexuality fetal death |
| url | https://oss.jomh.org/files/article/20230228-44/pdf/JOMH15982.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marcoscamachoavila sexualityandaffectivityafteragrievingprocessforanantenataldeathaqualitativestudyoffathersexperiences AT encarnacionhernandezsanchez sexualityandaffectivityafteragrievingprocessforanantenataldeathaqualitativestudyoffathersexperiences AT albafernandezferez sexualityandaffectivityafteragrievingprocessforanantenataldeathaqualitativestudyoffathersexperiences AT isabelmariafernandezmedina sexualityandaffectivityafteragrievingprocessforanantenataldeathaqualitativestudyoffathersexperiences AT cayetanofernandezsola sexualityandaffectivityafteragrievingprocessforanantenataldeathaqualitativestudyoffathersexperiences AT mariabelenconesaferrer sexualityandaffectivityafteragrievingprocessforanantenataldeathaqualitativestudyoffathersexperiences AT mariaisabelventuramiranda sexualityandaffectivityafteragrievingprocessforanantenataldeathaqualitativestudyoffathersexperiences |