REVIEW article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Health Psychology
Exploring the psychological well-being of midwives after maternal deaths: an integrative review
Nkhensani Florence Mabunda
Mashudu Tulelo
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
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Abstract
Word count: 245 Introduction: The mental health of midwives is crucial both for their professional performance and personal well-being, particularly following traumatic incidents like maternal fatalities. Though these experiences can be emotionally draining, there is a scarcity of research on the coping mechanisms employed by midwives in such situations. This integrative review seeks to investigate and combine current studies concerning the mental health of midwives after experiencing maternal mortality, pinpointing the psychological effects, coping strategies, and available support networks. Methods: An integrative review was carried out by searching databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Google Scholar. Studies from 2015 to 2025 were selected if they examined midwives' psychological reactions to maternal deaths. Information was gathered, assessed, and organized around main themes. Results: Ten studies were examined in the review, uncovering several psychological effects on midwives, such as guilt, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Coping mechanisms encompassed peer support, professional counseling, and debriefing sessions. Moreover, the level of institutional support demonstrated significant variation. Discussion: This integrative review outlines the considerable psychological distress experienced by midwives following maternal deaths, such as feelings of grief, guilt, anxiety, and secondary trauma, particularly in settings with limited resources. Coping mechanisms like peer support, debriefing sessions, and spiritual practices provide some relief, yet frequently prove insufficient due to a lack of proper institutional backing. The review advocates for further research into the long-term effects, strategies to enhance resilience, and the formulation of trauma-informed policies and mental health services to better support midwives in a variety of healthcare contexts.
Summary
Keywords
Coping mechanisms, maternal mortality3, Mental Health1, midwives2, Psychologica4
Received
30 July 2025
Accepted
04 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Mabunda and Tulelo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Nkhensani Florence Mabunda
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.