Interpretations of stillbirth.

Background: Continuity is a major concept in the father-son domain of the Han Chinese value system in Taiwan. Aspects of continuity may include structure, interactions and other facets of family; however, providing descendants is the keystone of women's reality in these families. In a culture in which death is seen as a taboo subject and the unborn child has not been recognized as a real baby, losing a long-expected child at the end of pregnancy becomes a great challenge to women who have experienced stillbirth.

Transforming loss: Taiwanese women's adaptation to stillbirth.

Aim: To explore the experiences of Taiwanese mothers of stillborn babies, their coping strategies, and the ways in which their subsequent human interactions are shaped by Taiwanese culture.

Background: Giving birth to a male family heir is still considered an important responsibility for Taiwanese women. The ideology of continuity is still at the centre of Chinese family life in which women are expected to deliver babies that will continue their husbands' family lines.