INITIAL ADAPTATION IN MOTHERS AND FATHERS FOLLOWING PERINATAL LOSS

Two months following perinatal loss, 82 mothers out of a total of 205 whose infants died at a tertiary referral obstetrical hospital and 47 of their partners were assessed with regard to their reactions to the deaths of their infants. Sample to population comparisons indicated that those who participated in the investigation were more likely to be socially advantaged. Intensity of mothers' grief exceeded fathers', but in roughly 25% of cases fathers' grief exceeded mothers. Mothers with higher self-reports of ego strength reported lower intensity of grief. Fathers with less ego strength, less social support, and more stressful life events had significantly higher self-reported grief. A subgroup of parents who reported minimal grief was identified and characterized. Implications of these findings for research on reactions to perinatal loss are discussed.