Miscarriage in women often leads to post-traumatic stress disorder

Many women experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after miscarriage
A miscarriage is always a terrible experience for the family. Women are particularly affected by such an event. Researchers have now found that miscarriage in women can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The researchers from Imperial College London found in their study that miscarriage or so-called ectopic pregnancy increases the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder in affected women. The doctors published a press release on the results of their study.

The psychological effects of miscarriage in women are usually very severe. After ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage, many affected women suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. (Image: wstockstudio / fotolia.com)

Almost half of the affected women suffer from PTSD after three months
Almost four out of ten women meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) three months after the loss of pregnancy, experts from Imperial College London explain.

Participants had to answer questions about feelings and thoughts after miscarriage
More than 110 women took part in the current study. The participants had to fill out questionnaires about their thoughts and feelings after they lost their baby. All women had previously visited Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea's Hospital in West London for pain or bleeding. Almost half of these women suffered a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy, say the physicians in their study.

Effects of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies
In the study, most women suffered a miscarriage, while one in five experienced an ectopic pregnancy in which the fertilized egg grew outside the uterus, the experts explain. If the women had a miscarriage, 45 percent of those affected showed the symptoms of PTSD after a period of three months. About 18 percent of the ectopic pregnancy group also had post-traumatic stress disorder.

Many women suffer from nightmares after a pregnancy loss
Women with PTSD reported regular recurrent feelings of pregnancy loss. Some women have repeatedly suffered nightmares or so-called "flashbacks". Many women also avoided contact with other pregnant family members or friends, explain the authors.

Surprisingly many women suffer from PTSD after an early pregnancy loss
Almost a third of the women examined said that the symptoms also affected their work. In addition, about 40 percent of the women were affected by the relationship. We were surprised by the high number of women who experienced symptoms of PTSD after early pregnancy loss, explains author Dr. Jessica Farren.

PTSD has a strong impact on all aspects of everyday life
At the moment, there is no routine follow-up on women who have had a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. While there are controls for postnatal depression, there are no studies on the occurrence of trauma and depression after a pregnancy loss, the experts explain. Yet, the symptoms that are triggered can have a profound impact on every aspect of a woman's everyday life, from her work to her relationships with friends and family.

Common Mistake: Women do not openly talk about early pregnancy loss
Many couples in today's society do not tell anyone about pregnancy within the first twelve weeks. If such couples then experience a miscarriage, they usually do not talk to other people about it. This can lead to the fact that the deep psychological effects of the early pregnancy loss are not openly discussed but swept under the carpet, the doctors add.

Further research is urgently needed
Not all women who experience miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy develop PTSD or anxiety and depression, explains author Professor Tom Bourne. Therefore, it must now be examined why some women are at greater risk than other affected persons. The results of the current study were also published in the journal "BMJ Open". (As)