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The grief response to mid-trimester fetal loss
1Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey.
Summary
Mothers experiencing mid-trimester fetal loss exhibit a grief response similar to those who lost a child or close relative. This study validates the existence of significant grief following fetal death.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Psychology
- Maternal Mental Health
- Grief Studies
Background:
- Fetal loss in the middle trimester is a significant event impacting maternal well-being.
- Understanding the grief response is crucial for providing adequate support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the grief response of mothers experiencing mid-trimester fetal loss.
- To compare this grief response to normative grief experiences.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive study design.
- Data collected via mailed questionnaires from twenty mothers.
- Analysis of grief characteristics including despair, anger, guilt, and anxiety.
Main Results:
- Identified common grief characteristics: despair, anger, guilt, loss of control, rumination, depersonalization, somatization, and death anxiety.
- Grief response was similar in nature and intensity to parents losing a child and women losing a close relative.
Conclusions:
- Mid-trimester fetal loss elicits a grief response comparable to other significant bereavements.
- Findings support the existence and intensity of grief following fetal death.
- Further research with larger samples is recommended to confirm these results.