title: Internet message boards for pregnancy loss: who's on-line and why?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pregnancy loss is common, but its significance is often minimized by family, friends, and the community, leaving bereaved parents with unmet need for support. This study sought to describe demographics, usage patterns, and perceived benefits for women participating in Internet pregnancy loss support groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  We requested permission to post an anonymous Internet survey on large and active United States Internet message boards for women with miscarriages and stillbirths. The study purposefully oversampled stillbirth sites and included both closed- and open-ended questions. The University of Michigan Institutional Review Board approved the study. Closed-ended questions were summarized and evaluated with bivariate analysis. We performed a qualitative analysis of open-ended data using an iterative coding process to identify key themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 62 sites queried, 15 granted permission to post the survey on 18 different message boards. We collected 1,039 surveys, of which 1,006 were complete and eligible for analysis. Women were typically white, well educated, and frequent users. They noted message boards helped them to feel less isolated in their loss and grief and they appreciated unique aspects of Internet communication such as convenience, access, anonymity, and privacy. Pregnancy loss message boards are an important aspect of support for many bereaved mothers. African-American women seem to be substantially underrepresented on-line despite being at higher risk for stillbirth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Internet message boards serve a unique function in providing support for women with miscarriage and stillbirth. The benefits are often significantly different from those encountered in traditional face-to-face bereavement support.
authors: Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1213, USA. ktgold@umich.edu
authors: Katherine J
authors: KJ
authors: Gold
authors: Martha E
authors: ME
authors: Boggs
authors: Emeline
authors: E
authors: Mugisha
authors: Christie Lancaster
authors: CL
authors: Palladino
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012648:Self Care; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People