The Integration of the Resolved Through Sharing Perinatal Bereavement Follow-up Model with Latinx Cultural Values: A Case Illustration

Abstract

The Resolved Through Sharing (RTS) Perinatal bereavement model is an approach used for working with birthing people and their families who have experienced a perinatal loss. RTS is designed to help families cope with their grief and integrate the loss in their lives, meet the needs of the families during the initial crisis, and offer comprehensive care to each member of the family affected by the loss. This paper utilizes a case illustration to describe a year-long bereavement follow-up of an undocumented underinsured Latina woman who suffered a stillbirth during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the hostile anti-immigrant policy during the Trump presidency. The case illustration is based on a composite case of several Latina women who had pregnancy losses with similar outcomes, demonstrating how a perinatal palliative care (PPC) social worker provided ongoing bereavement support to a patient who experienced a stillbirth. The case illustrates how the PPC social worker utilized the RTS model, incorporated the patient's cultural values, and acknowledged systemic challenges which resulted in the patient receiving comprehensive, holistic support that aided her emotional and spiritual recovery from her stillbirth. The author ends with a call to action for providers in the field of perinatal palliative care to incorporate practices that allow for greater access and equity for all birthing people.