Maternal grief after abortion and related factors

To investigate maternal grief after abortion and the factors that might relate to the intensity of maternal grief.

Cross-sectional, descriptive study.

132 women who attended the abortion clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Thailand.

The subjects were asked to complete the questionnaires including demographic characteristics, history of previous pregnancy, and Perinatal Grief scales, two weeks after abortion. The data was then analyzed to determine maternal grief and related factors of grief intensity.

There were 7 women with severe grief intensity (5.3%), 50 with moderately grief intensity (37.9%) and 75 with mild grief intensity (56.8%). The factors associated with PGS scores were low income, had had ultrasonography, gestational age of > 16 weeks and methods of treatment.

Grief is worldwide among women who have recently aborted. The related factors with grief intensity can be used for screening psychological problems of the women who experience abortion. If found, the physicians can closely observe and help them to work through their coping mechanism and prepare them to get another successful pregnancy in the future.