Table 1 Background characteristics of 64 parents¹ participating in the online focus group discussions and of their deceased children

Participating parent

Mother

53

83

Father

4

6

Unknown

7

11

Ethnicity

Dutch

57

89

Unknown

7

11

Church membership

No

35

55

Yes

22

34

Unknown

7

11

Year of death of the child

1970-1999

22

34

2000-2012

35

55

Unknown

7

11

Age of the child at time of death

Stillbirth

10

16

First month

15

23

2nd -12th month

25

39

Second year

7

11

Unknown

7

11

Expected /unexpected death

Expected

16

25

Unexpected

41

64

Unknown

7

11

Cause of death

Pregnancy and childbirth related conditions

13

20

Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities

10

16

Sudden infant death syndrome

26

41

Other

8

12

Unknown

7

11

Place of death

Stillbirth

10

16

At home

24

38

In hospital

15

23

Other

8

12

Unknown

7

11