Psychological Impact On Women Of Miscarriage Versus Induced Abortion: A 2-year Follow-up Study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the psychological trauma reactions of women who had either a miscarriage or an induced abortion, in the 2 years after the event. Further, to identify important predictors of Impact of Event Scale (IES) scores.

METHOD:

A consecutive sample of women who experienced miscarriage (N = 40) or induced abortion (N = 80) were interviewed 3 times: 10 days (T1), 6 months (T2), and 2 years (T3) after the event.

RESULTS:

At T1, 47.5% of the women who had a miscarriage were cases (IES score 19 points on 1 or both of the IES subscales), compared with 30% for women who had an induced abortion (p =.60). The corresponding values at T3 were 2.6% and 18.1%, respectively (p =.019). At all measurement time points, the group who had induced abortion scored higher on IES avoidance. Women who had a miscarriage were more likely to experience feelings of loss and grief..,

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Psychological Morbidity Following Miscarriage.

Abstract

Emerging evidence has suggested that miscarriage could be associated with significant and possibly enduring psychological consequences. As many as 50% of miscarrying women suffer some form of psychological morbidity in the weeks and months after loss. About 40% of miscarrying women were found to be suffering from symptoms of grief shortly after miscarriage, and pathological grief can follow. Elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms are common, and major depressive disorder has been reported in 10-50% after miscarriage. Psychological symptoms could persist for 6 months to 1 year after miscarriage. The underlying risk factors predisposing a miscarrying woman to psychological morbidity include a history of psychiatric illness, childlessness, lack of social support or poor marital adjustment, prior pregnancy loss, and ambivalence toward the fetus. In addition, care-givers should be aware of the possible moderating effect of clinical practices such as surgical treatment and ultrasound findings on the psychological impact on a miscarrying woman. Unlike in...

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