Characteristics of existing healthcare workforce education in spiritual care related to childbirth: a systematic review identifying only two studies

Background
It has been argued that the beginning of life is one of the most significant, universally-shared life events, impacting parental health biologically, sociologically, psychologically and spiritually. In maternity care settings, only a few educational initiatives exist focusing on increasing competencies in spiritual care.

Objective
To explore the characteristics of content in existing under- and post-graduate education of healthcare professionals in spiritual care in the field of maternity care.

Methods
We conducted an integrative review, searching seven databases for studies describing the content of existing education in spiritual care in maternity care settings.

Results
From 235 studies assessed eligible and full text screened, only two were included, originating from the same project. The majority of existing studies about spiritual care focus on the perspective of women related to loss, sickness or bereavement, whereas research related to the field of maternity care is sparser. Furthermore, the perspective of the professional seems overlooked.

Conclusion
There is a lack of research exploring the content and structure of educational initiatives related to spiritual care in maternity care. In order to strengthen spiritual care competencies in maternity care, for both women/partners and professionals, future research should investigate how education is planned and evaluated.