Miscarriage and gestational grief – Valorizing and managing: a case report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v40i3.13450Keywords:
Miscarriage, Pregnancy loss, Gestational grief, Holistic approach, Cultural competence, Case reportAbstract
Introduction: Miscarriages are common and their impact on families, societies, and health services are proven, but yet underestimated. This case report intends to highlight the importance of follow-up after a miscarriage, especially concerning grief, psychological symptoms associated with pregnancy loss, and the holistic approach to the couple.
Case report: A 37-year-old woman from Nepal becomes pregnant spontaneously after multiple unsuccessful attempts. She suffers a miscarriage at 10 weeks of gestation and she is seen by her family doctor and nurse. She expresses feelings of sadness, loneliness, anxiety and fear, and confusion regarding the follow-up care. The process of care focused on clarifying doubts and myths, recognizing the couple's feelings, exploring ways of expressing grief in their culture, encouraging changes in behavior, and helping to plan a new pregnancy.
Discussion: There are no effective pharmacological interventions to prevent miscarriage, despite being an opportunity to promote the adoption of healthier lifestyle habits. Although frequent, the psychological consequences and psychopathology associated with miscarriage are often overlooked. The experience of bereavement is individual and it is not necessarily related to gestational age, socioeconomic or educational background, or the number of losses or living children. Dealing with a case of miscarriage requires family physicians to assess grief management and physical and mental well-being, screening for psychopathology and following the planning of a future pregnancy, acting on cross-cultural care and social and family dimensions of each person.
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