Short answer
Designers should create environments and support systems that facilitate familial rituals of naming, remembrance, and bonding during and after stillbirth, acknowledging the event as a significant life transition.
- Field
- Human Factors
- Source
- DigitalCommons - WayneState (Wayne State University) (2012)
- Method
- Ethnographic Study
- Sample
- 10 women and their families, and 20 healthcare staff
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Recognizing intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) as a birth experience, rather than a medical procedure, necessitates design interventions that support familial rituals and acknowledge the personhood of the fetus. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2012 study published in DigitalCommons - WayneState (Wayne State University). Using Ethnographic study with 10 women and their families, and 20 healthcare staff, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should create environments and support systems that facilitate familial rituals of naming, remembrance, and bonding during and after stillbirth, acknowledging the event as a significant life transition.
Designing for Stillbirth: Prioritizing Personhood and Ritual in Clinical Settings
Recognizing intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) as a birth experience, rather than a medical procedure, necessitates design interventions that support familial rituals and acknowledge the personhood of the fetus.
DigitalCommons - WayneState (Wayne State University) · 2012
Key Findings
- 01Women and families experiencing IUFD perceive it as a birth, not a procedure.
- 02Families assign personhood to the fetus through post-birth rituals like naming and receiving mementos.
- 03Unrestricted time with the baby is crucial for families in assigning personhood.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should create environments and support systems that facilitate familial rituals of naming, remembrance, and bonding during and after stillbirth, acknowledging the event as a significant life transition.
How to apply
When designing or redesigning maternity or bereavement care units, consider incorporating private, comfortable spaces for families, providing resources for memory-making (e.g., memory boxes), and designing workflows that allow for extended family time with the infant.
Project actions
- 01Consider the emotional journey of users during sensitive life events.
- 02Research existing rituals and how they can be supported or integrated into a designed solution.
- 03Focus on creating spaces that offer privacy, comfort, and opportunities for meaningful interaction.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +In-depth qualitative data provides rich understanding of user experience.
- +Ethnographic approach captures naturalistic behaviors and contexts.
Limitations
The study's focus on a specific cultural context may not fully represent experiences in different regions or healthcare systems.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of ethnography provides depth but may have limited generalizability. Reliability could be enhanced through triangulation of data sources (e.g., interviews, observations, document analysis). Validity is strengthened by the long-term engagement and detailed case studies.
Think critically
How might cultural differences influence the rituals and perceptions of stillbirth, and how could design adapt to these variations?
Design Principles
"Design for significant life transitions by incorporating elements of ritual, personhood, and emotional support into clinical environments."
This research highlights a critical gap in how healthcare environments are designed and managed during profound loss. By shifting the perspective from a purely medical event to a significant life transition, designers can create spaces and processes that are more sensitive to the emotional and social needs of grieving families and staff.
What This Means for Your Design
When a baby is stillborn, families treat it like a birth, not just a medical event. They want to name the baby, hold it, and keep memories. Designers should make hospital rooms and services that help families do these things.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the user experience in sensitive healthcare contexts.
- 2.Use findings to justify design choices that prioritize emotional well-being and familial rituals.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights that experiences of intrauterine fetal death are perceived by families as a birth, not merely a medical procedure. The study emphasizes the importance of rituals, such as naming and receiving mementos, in assigning personhood to the fetus. Therefore, design interventions should focus on creating supportive environments that facilitate these familial practices and acknowledge the profound emotional and social significance of the event for grieving families.
Source
DigitalCommons - WayneState (Wayne State University)
It's a birth not a procedure: an ethnographic study of intrauterine fetal death in a labor and delivery unit of an american hospital setting
journal · 2012
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about designing for stillbirth: prioritizing personhood and ritual in clinical settings?
- Designers should create environments and support systems that facilitate familial rituals of naming, remembrance, and bonding during and after stillbirth, acknowledging the event as a significant life transition. Evidence: DigitalCommons - WayneState (Wayne State University) (2012).
- Why does "Designing for Stillbirth: Prioritizing Personhood and Ritual in Clinical Settings" matter for design?
- This research highlights a critical gap in how healthcare environments are designed and managed during profound loss. By shifting the perspective from a purely medical event to a significant life transition, designers can create spaces and processes that are more sensitive to the emotional and social needs of grieving families and staff.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should create environments and support systems that facilitate familial rituals of naming, remembrance, and bonding during and after stillbirth, acknowledging the event as a significant life transition.
- What were the main findings?
- Women and families experiencing IUFD perceive it as a birth, not a procedure.. Families assign personhood to the fetus through post-birth rituals like naming and receiving mementos.. Unrestricted time with the baby is crucial for families in assigning personhood.
- What research method was used?
- Ethnographic Study with 10 women and their families, and 20 healthcare staff.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2012 journal from DigitalCommons - WayneState (Wayne State University).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing or redesigning maternity or bereavement care units, consider incorporating private, comfortable spaces for families, providing resources for memory-making (e.g., memory boxes), and designing workflows that allow for extended family time with the infant.
- What are the limitations?
- The study was conducted in a single American hospital setting, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings to other cultural or healthcare contexts.