DE JUAN IGLESIAS, PAULA, CARRETERO GÓMEZ, STEPHANIE, GARCÍA TEROL, CLARA , Horsch, Antje , MOTRICO MARTINEZ, EMMA
No
Patient Educ. Couns.
Article
Científica
24/01/2026
001681734200001
Objective: To co-design an innovative mHealth intervention for preventing mental health disorders after perinatal loss, guided by the preferences of parents and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals. Methods: Two focus groups were held with parents (n = 9, >= 6 months post-loss) and healthcare professionals (n = 12) within the [blinded for review] project. Using a Patient and Public Involvement approach, discussions took place in the context of the Spanish Public Health System. Data were analysed thematically using a deductive framework informed by predefined categories, while allowing for emerging themes. Reporting followed COREQ and GRIPP2 short-form guidelines. Results: Participants reported a lack of accessible information and emphasized the need for clear communication, professional guidance, peer support, and freely available resources. They recommended tailored, sensitive, and visually engaging materials, particularly for early gestational losses. Valued features included care reminders and personalised user profiles. Professionals highlighted the importance of their active involvement to ensure relevance and integration into clinical practice. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the value of incorporating parents and professional perspectives in designing an mHealth intervention for perinatal loss, highlighting key components such as communication, tailored content, and support, while calling for further research on effectiveness and scalability. Practice implications: Providing open-access content on perinatal loss within pregnancy programs and integrating a co-designed mHealth intervention into care pathways may enhance preparedness, reduce stigma, and improve continuity of support for parents, particularly after early or post-discharge losses as miscarriages, stillbirths and neonatal death.
Perinatal loss; Co-design; Parents; Healthcare professionals; MHealth intervention; Prevention and control