MISCARRIAGE

Interest in the psychological aspects of losing a baby has increased over the last 15 years but, while there has been a change in attitudes towards parents experiencing stillbirth and neonatal death, the same consideration has not been extended to those suffering miscarriage. Most professionals and the lay community perpetuate the belief that miscarriage is an insignificant event from which the couple can quickly recover with no lasting psychological effects. The following article covers the role of bereavement in the aftermath of miscarriage and explores factors outlined in the literature which may influence subsequent psychological adjustment and some of the predictors which may dictate the intensity of emotional impact. It appears that there is a need for more empirical research, particularly focusing on the effect of miscarriage on the partner and other children in the family and on the grief experienced by all involved after miscarriage.