Table 2 Summary of themes, sub-themes and units of meaning

Perceiving the threat and anticipating the death: “Something is wrong with my pregnancy”

“This could end badly.” Medical history as a threat and a source of uncertainty

Medical history, infertility treatment, high-risk pregnancy, repeated miscarriage, vulnerability of the pregnancy, frequenting emergency services, suspicion

Anticipating the death. From suspicion to confirmation

Warning signs, having a hunch, lack of movement, decreased movement, contractions, pain, worry, fear, helplessness

Emotional outpouring: the shock of losing a baby and the pain of giving birth to a stillborn baby

Emotional shock upon notification of the baby’s death

Notification, non-verbal language, silence, serious expression, scarce explanation, hopelessness, disbelief, anguish, anger, emptiness, insurmountable pain.

Giving birth to a stillborn baby: a doubly painful labour process for families

Caesarean, inducing labour, vaginal birth, extra suffering, not seeing the stillborn baby, anger about disregard from professionals, reassuring, professionalism

Loneliness and lack of information as aggravating factors in the pain of the loss

Receiving the news alone, lack of information, unclear diagnosis, knowing the reason, demanding information, alleviating the pain, overcoming feelings of guilt

“We have had a baby.” The need to give the baby an identity and legitimacy to the grief

Saying goodbye to the deceased baby, having the baby’s footprint, keeping the memory of the baby alive

Seeing the deceased baby, embracing the baby, having photographs, keeping a footprint, saying final goodbyes, need for identification, need for recognition as a part of the family

Mourning rituals. The importance of respecting individual beliefs

Baptism, cremation, burial, spiritual suffering, non-recognition, refusing baptism, keeping the ashes, having a meaningful place to visit the deceased, remembering the experience.

Bureaucracy and administrative language as obstacles in the mourning process.

Administrative slowness, misinformation about administrative processes, inappropriate language, referring to the baby as a foetus, denying registry, denial of the existence, identification as a deceased baby.