Navigating perinatal loss: Exploring cultural perspectives of Swati parents in South Africa
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Date
2025
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University of the Western Cape
Abstract
Perinatal loss is a prevalent issue worldwide, and it is characterised by physical, emotional, and psychological effects. Literature reports that perinatal loss is associated with cultural stigma, resulting in isolation, depression, long-term grieving, etc. There is however, a dearth of scholarly literature that explicates Swati experiences of perinatal loss. This study aimed to explore the cultural perspectives of perinatal loss in Swati culture, South Africa. It adopted an exploratory qualitative approach, with 12 participants who engaged in an individual semi-structured interview conducted in English and SiSwati. Non-probability sampling methods were employed, as Swati parents who experienced perinatal loss were purposively selected for the study. Snowball sampling was used to include participants who were referred to the study and data saturation was monitored. The data was analysed using reflective thematic data analysis. To ensure there’s no harm to participants, the researcher employed and adhered to the ethics guidelines of confidentiality, anonymity, informed consent, and the right to withdraw. Ethics clearance was sought from the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HS24/9/40) before data collection commenced. The analysis culminated into several themes which referred to traditional and religious beliefs; Swati constructions of fertility; subjective experiences of perinatal loss (e.g. pain; blame etc.); and specific cultural beliefs and coping. Swati parents navigated their loss through spiritual and cultural beliefs, associating perinatal loss to witchcraft, bad luck, darkness, ancestral anger, and God’s will. In response, participants referred to two types of cleansing (i.e., traditional and spiritual). The study calls for future research on the intersection of modernity and traditional beliefs following perinatal loss in a Swati culture as well as interventions that assist in processing of grief through a particular focus on cultural (in this case Swati) beliefs and practices. The salience of communal identity is foregrounded and the impact on the family unit is critical for intervention development in response to perinatal loss.
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Keywords
Perinatal Loss, Culture, Siswati, Stigma, Coping, Adjustment