Internet-based treatment after pregnancy loss: concept and case study
Abstract
The loss of a child during pregnancy results in significant psychological stress for many women, and may lead to long-lasting grief and psychological illnesses. However, only a small percentage of those affected seek or receive traditional forms of psychological treatment, and therefore novel treatment approaches and methods are required. This article introduces an Internet-based psychotherapy programme for patients after pregnancy loss. The five-week intervention comprises two components: structured writing disclosure and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Communication between the therapist and patient is text-based and asynchronous. The writing protocol consists of three treatment phases: self-confrontation, cognitive reappraisal and social sharing. A case report is presented to illustrate the course of the treatment and clinical considerations associated with delivering Internet-based interventions to patients after pregnancy loss.
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An Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for mothers after pregnancy loss showed positive treatment effects, with the intervention group showing significantly reduced symptoms of grief, PTSD, and depression after treatment relative to the waiting-list group, maintained at 3-month follow-up.
“A further recent study examining the efficacy of an Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for mothers after pregnancy loss67 showed positive treatment effects, with the intervention group showing significantly reduced symptoms of grief, PTSD, and depression after treatment relative to the waiting-list group, and this symptom reduction was maintained at 3-month followup.68,69”
From Complicated grief after perinatal loss (2012) · cites this paper as [69]
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Complicated grief after perinatal loss
Kersting, A., & Wagner, B. (2012) · Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience · doi:10.31887/dcns.2012.14.2/akersting · Cited by 419 · see citing works
“A further recent study examining the efficacy of an Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for mothers after pregnancy loss(67) showed positive treatment effects, with the intervention group showing significantly reduced symptoms of grief, PTSD, and depression after treatment relative to the waiting-list group, a…”
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“In addition, the corresponding author of three articles written by the same author [38 – 40] was contacted who confirmed that all three publications included data collected from one single study.”
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A Case Study Illustrating Therapist-Assisted Internet Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depression
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Keser, E., & Kahya, Y. (2025) · Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology · doi:10.1080/02646838.2024.2335176 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Kersting, A., Kroker, K., Schlicht, S., & Wagner, B.
- Affiliations
- Leipzig University (DE)
- University of Münster (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Kersting, Anette
- Venue
- Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2011-02-18
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 72-78
- ISSN
- 0167-482X (ISSN-L)
- 1743-8942
- OpenAlex
- W2147757694
- Cited by
- 43
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 5.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Keywords
- miscarriage, internet-based psychotherapy, grief, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive reappraisal, social sharing, self-confrontation
- MeSH terms
- Abortion, Spontaneous, Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Anxiety, Depression, Female, Grief, Humans, Pregnancy, Self Care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Treatment Outcome, Telemedicine, Internet
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