Developing text-messaging support for fathers after perinatal loss

Background Perinatal loss is a devastating occurrence for expecting parents. Although both parents are affected, research on fathers’ grief has not resulted in effective support services for fathers. Aim To describe a multi-stage co-design process for developing text messaging support for fathers experiencing perinatal loss. Methods Co-designed text messages were developed in collaboration with a perinatal bereavement organisation, mothers and fathers with lived experience of perinatal loss, and clinicians working with bereaved parents. Bereaved parents responded to a survey about bereaved fathers’ information needs (stage 1). A qualitative descriptive data analysis created topics for the generation of text messages (stage 2). Parents with lived experience and clinicians evaluated the messages on importance and clinical fit (stage 3). Messages were revised (stage 4), followed by parent and clinician evaluation and final message revision (stage 5). Findings There were 959 survey respondents; the majority agreed that support for fathers would have been useful; 539 provided comments. Qualitative analysis created twelve topics within three themes, leading to the generation of 64 text messages. Messages were evaluated by 27 lived experience parents and 19 clinicians as important (91.6%) and understandable (91.3%), and 92.5% of clinicians agreed the messages fitted clinical guidelines. Message revision resulted in 59 messages across three themes. The final evaluation by 12 parents and 14 clinicians led to a final revised set of 52 messages. Conclusion Text-based support for bereaved fathers can be developed in a co-design process to accord with clinical practice, from topics suggested parents with lived experience.