In an Instagram post, singer Sheryfa Luna reveals the death of her baby, a “pain that no words can truly describe”.
- Singer Sheryfa Luna reveals the loss of her stillborn child.
- Perinatal bereavement refers to the loss of a baby between the 22nd week of amenorrhea and the 7 days following birth.
- This covers different situations: miscarriages, medical terminations of pregnancy, voluntary terminations of pregnancy and sudden infant death.
“On November 17, I gave birth to Khalil in freezing silence, writes singer Sheryfa Luna, in an Instagram post. No cry, no breath. My son had already left. That day, I discovered a pain that no words can truly describe: giving life and having to say goodbye in the same moment”.
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Perinatal mourning, a subject that is still taboo
In France, in 2019, “the perinatal mortality rate (number of children born dead or dead during the first 7 days of life compared to all births from 22 weeks of amenorrhea (weeks of amenorrhea are counted from the first day of last period)) amounts to 10.2%”, can we read in a report from the Department of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees).
Like Sheryfa Luna, many parents are going through this ordeal in France. However, perinatal mourning remains little known, poorly understood and even taboo. As indicated the World Health Organization (WHO), “Women whose babies die during pregnancy or childbirth frequently do not receive appropriate care and are not treated with respect”.
2.6 million children die in their first month of life
Perinatal bereavement affects parents who have lost a baby who died in utero or just after birth. Various situations fall under the term perinatal bereavement: miscarriages, medical terminations of pregnancy, voluntary terminations of pregnancy and sudden infant death.
When losing a child, parents can experience various feelings: guilt, sadness, lack, emptiness, distress… “A few days later, I had to accompany Khalil to his final resting place, an act so heartbreaking that no mother should have to go through it”, writes singer Sheryfa Luna.
Within the couple, you have to talk but when both people feel ready. Talking with doctors, to understand what happened, can also help parents rebuild their lives. Calling on a professional, such as a psychologist, can also help you get through this ordeal.
According to Unicefworldwide, 2.6 million children die during their first month of life.
