MRC PhD student

Level of study: MSc

Title: A discourse analysis on the construction of meaning by South African women who have experienced miscarriage or still-birth.

Project summary:
My project is delving into the arena of loss looking specifically at women who have experienced pregnancy loss. My specific overarching aim is to examine the manner in which women construct meaning around pregnancy loss by looking at discourses as well as the vast silences surrounding the experience. For the purpose of the study pregnancy loss is defined in terms of both miscarriage and stillbirth.

The discourses such as cultural discourses around motherhood, significance attached to being pregnant, and the significance of the number of pregnancy losses involved. Women from all socio-economic backgrounds of consenting age that have experienced a pregnancy loss (either miscarriage or stillbirth) will be considered. Participants will be interviewed using a semi-structured interview with two main questions and if necessary some probing questions.

The participants will be chosen on the basis of comfortability with the English language. The motivation for specifying comfortability with the English language is entwined in the methodology.

The study will be examined in the context of a Social Constructionist framework. In particular, the usage of discourses around pregnancy loss will be scrutinised.

Supervisors: Neetha Morar
Study Institution: University of the Western Cape
MRC Unit: HIV Prevention Research unit