Cited by 63Grief, Bereavement, and Mental HealthMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumMaternal and Neonatal Healthcare

Meta-analysis to obtain a scale of psychological reaction after perinatal loss: focus on miscarriage

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Adolfsson, Annsofie·2011·Psychology Research and Behavior Management

Abstract

Pregnancy has different meanings to different women depending upon their circumstances. A number of qualitative studies have described the experience of miscarriage by women who had desired to carry their pregnancy to full term. The aim of this meta-analysis was to identify a scale of psychological reaction to miscarriage. Meta-analysis is a quantitative approach for reviewing articles from scientific journals through statistical analysis of findings from individual studies. In this review, a meta-analytic method was used to identify and analyze psychological reactions in women who have suffered a miscarriage. Different reactions to stress associated with the period following miscarriage were identified. The depression reaction had the highest average, weighted, unbiased estimate of effect (d(+) = 0.99) and was frequently associated with the experience of perinatal loss. Psychiatric morbidity was found after miscarriage in 27% of cases by a diagnostic interview ten days after miscarriage. The grief reaction had a medium d(+) of 0.56 in the studies included. However, grief after miscarriage differed from other types of grief after perinatal loss because the parents had no focus for their grief. The guilt is greater after miscarriage than after other types of perinatal loss. Measurement of the stress reaction and anxiety reaction seems to be difficult in the included studies, as evidenced by a low d(+) (0.17 and 0.16, respectively). It has been recommended that grief after perinatal loss be measured by an adapted instrument called the Perinatal Grief Scale Short Version.

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  • Review and meta-analytic data suggest evidence for associations between perinatal loss and psychological reactions following miscarriage.

    “Review and meta-analytic data suggest evidence for associations between perinatal loss and psychological reactions following miscarriage (Adolfsson, 2011);”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [8]Cowles KV Rodgers BL The concept of grief: An evolutionary perspective Rodgers B Concept Development in Nursing. Foundations, Techniques, and Application Philadelphia, PA WB Saunders Company 2000
  2. [36]Zisook S Devaul RA Click MA Measuring symptoms of grief and bereavement Am J Psychiatry 1982 139 1590 1593 7149059

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Authors
Adolfsson, A.
Affiliations
University of Skövde (SE)
Corresponding author
Adolfsson, Annsofie
Venue
Psychology Research and Behavior Management
Published
2011-03
Volume
4
Pages
29
ISSN
1179-1578 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2111358292
Cited by
63
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
2.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychology Research and Behavior Management (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Örebro University Library (Örebro University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Dove Medical Press (Taylor and Francis Group) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
Keywords
miscarriage, perinatal loss, psychological reactions, depression, grief, guilt, anxiety, stress, psychiatric morbidity, scale development

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