A 2-year follow-up of women who have experienced early miscarriage

Abstract

Sixty-five women who had been recruited into an earlier study investigating the psychological morbidity of women following early miscarriage were contacted by mail 2 years later and asked to complete a miscarriage follow-up questionnaire and a Hospital Anxiery and Depression Scale. The results indicate that 68% of women continued to be upset by thoughts of their miscarriage, and 64% reported that the miscarriage had affected their subsequent decision to become pregnant. Sixteen per cent decided never to become pregnant again. There were no significant differences between rates of anxiety and depression ‘caseness’ at week 12 and 2 -ycar follow-up. An association was found between lack of support from partner and clinically significant levels of anxiety as assessed on the HAD Scale. Seventy-eight per cent of the women reported support from their partners as being helpful. No women reported finding self-help groups helpful, and only 26% reported helpful support from their General Practitioner. The importance of offering routine follow-up for women who have suffered an eady miscarriage is stressed, to provide them with an opportunity to discuss their experience, and any concerns and anxieties they may have, particularly about future pregnancies.