ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4577-2403

Keywords

perinatal mental health, pregnancy loss, maternal mortality, health equity, grief, miscarriage

Abstract

Pregnancy loss is a common yet often invisible reproductive health experience, particularly for Black women who face the intersecting challenges of systemic racism and inadequate healthcare responses. Despite its profound impact, the voices of Black women remain underrepresented in research and practice. This study explores how Black women experience and cope with pregnancy loss, particularly concerning their mental health. Using reflexive thematic analysis informed by grounded theory principles, the researcher conducted in-depth interviews with Black women who experienced pregnancy loss. Data were analyzed through theoretical coding to generate a model grounded in participants’ narratives. Findings revealed medicalized trauma through which participants moved across three interrelated stages: antecedents, experiences, and consequences. Together, these categories informed the development of The Invisible Cradle Model, which illustrates how Black women endure pregnancy loss. Findings frame pregnancy loss as an experience marked by emotional anticipation and expectancy, emotional fallout, experiences of medical neglect, disruption of emotional grounding, and reliance on self-sourced support systems. Implications for practice include education for healthcare professionals, culturally responsive, trauma-informed clinical care, and policy reform. By centering the voices of Black women, this study underscores both the harms of medical neglect and the urgency of this complex phenomenon, offering a model for improved care and advocacy in perinatal health.

Completion Date

2026

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Yalim, Asli & Marsh, L. Trenton

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Public Affairs

Format

PDF

Document Type

Dissertation

Identifier

DP0053129

Release Date

5-15-2028

Download

Available for download on Monday, May 15, 2028

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