The End at the Very Beginning: Perinatal Loss and Better Dying

Little is known about perinatal loss in the Czech Republic or in Post-Socialist countries more generally. The turn towards an “intimate death” is yet a rather experimental practice in maternity wards as institutions dealing with this liminal and often unexpected event. Institutionalised care for bereaved families or professional training for the healthcare staff is only emerging. One pilot perinatal hospice is being founded by a group of enthusiastic volunteers.

The efforts for better dying or dealing with stillborn children and obstacles (structural and cultural) these actors face are analysed in this work in progress presentation of an ongoing project (2017 – 2019) aiming at sociological reflection of perinatal loss in the Czech Republic. The “end at the very beginning” as a liminal experience can teach us also about more general approaches to death, dying (better dying) in other phases of human life and medicalisation of death, birth and other life events.