The impact of anencephaly on parents: A mixed-methods study.

This study used a convergent parallel mixed-method design to explore the impact of an anencephalic pregnancy on parents. Twenty women and four men between 18-59 years old participated. Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretive phenomenology and synthesized with Perinatal Grief Intensity Scale scores using a Pearson's correlation. Overall, 75% of parents scored intense grief. Qualitative patterns included , , , , and . Control over care was associated with decreased grief ( =.019). Health care professionals are ideally positioned to reduce the risk of intense grief in parents experiencing an anencephalic pregnancy.