Psychotherapeutic interventions in psychological suffering resulting from postnatal grief: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy loss is a devastating situation, which can sometimes trigger complicated grief, which can progress to post-traumatic stress disorder, negatively impacting physical and psychological well-being. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stillbirth affects around 2.6 million families, being considered a public health problem. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate strategies and interventions used by psychologists in psychological support for pregnant women who experience perinatal death in a systematic way. Furthermore, the study seeks to identify the most effective approaches to help cope with grief and promote women's emotional well-being. Methodology It followed the standard of a systematic review based on the prism protocol. As an inclusion criterion, studies that were consistent with the research objective, with a time frame of the last 10 years. Studies with low methodological rigor and that did not answer the PICO question were excluded. The databases used were ScienceDirect, Medline and Google Scholar. Results: The scientific literature shows that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a promising psychotherapeutic approach for treating bereaved mothers. Furthermore, psychological counseling also shows significant results in relieving grief and treating post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings of this review provide clinical implications, with strategies and therapeutic approaches relevant to the treatment of mothers facing grief. Conclusion: In view of the results obtained, this systematic review provides solid evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy favors the cognitive restructuring of the emotional implications of the grieving process.