Emotional care for women who experience miscarriage

Sensitive, caring and skilled nursing care for women experiencing miscarriage plays a crucial role in their long-term emotional recovery. For some women, miscarriage is a traumatic life event and may even be regarded as the most painful form of bereavement. However, miscarriage is often not viewed by society as a bereavement. The emotional effects are often overlooked by researchers and healthcare providers, who focus primarily on the physical aspects of miscarriage. Nurses who work in gynaecology and early pregnancy units should endeavour to provide sensitive and supportive care while managing their own emotions. Some nurses may cope well with care in these specialised units, while others may become emotionally overwhelmed. The stressful nature of providing care for women experiencing miscarriage should therefore be validated and recognised by those in nursing management and education.