Comparison of long‐term psychological responses of women after pregnancy termination due to fetal anomalies and after perinatal loss

Abstract

The objective of the study was to compare psychological responses of women following a pregnancy termination due to ultrasound-detected fetal anomalies (ultrasound group) with the psychological responses of women following a late spontaneous abortion or a perinatal death (perinatal loss group). The assessments, which were performed on four occasions in the year after the life event, included Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Goldberg General Health Questionnaire, Impact of Event Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Schedule for Recent Life Events. In the acute phase, a few days after the life event, the women in the ultrasound group reported statistically significantly less depressive symptoms and less intrusion and avoidance symptoms than the perinatal loss group. No differences in psychological responses in the two groups were found at the examinations at approximately 7 weeks, 5 months or 1 year. A statistically significantly higher proportion of women in the ultrasound group reported that they had tried to become pregnant in the following year. A few subjects in each group reported persisting high psychological distress throughout the year, but only one woman fulfilled the criteria of a post-traumatic stress disorder. It is concluded that the long-term psychological stress response in women to pregnancy termination following ultrasonographic detection of fetal anomalies does not differ from the stress responses seen in women experiencing a perinatal loss.

Termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormality: a meta-ethnography of women’s experiences

“…[4][5][6][7][8][9] Grief reactions following this event have been likened to those experienced in other types of perinatal loss such as stillbirth or neonatal death. [10][11][12] Nevertheless, termination for fetal abnormality is distinct in that parents choose to end the pregnancy. This element of choice places this phenomenon at the centre of ethical debates, which have implications for women's experiences.…”

Screening for Down syndrome based on maternal age or fetal nuchal translucency: a randomized controlled trial in 39 572 pregnancies

“…Whether this is a disadvantage is debatable. The long-term psychological effects of pregnancy termination performed because of fetal anomalies seem to be similar to those of spontaneous fetal loss of unknown cause 14 . Several studies suggest that pregnant women prefer early screening for DS 15 -17 .…”

“…The examinations were performed by 46 midwives with median 11 (interquartile range, [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] years' experience of mid-gestation routine ultrasound examinations. Before the study started, all the midwives had qualified for a certificate of competence in the theory and practice of the 11-14-week scan including NT measurement from The Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF), London, UK.…”

Abortion and Mental Health: Evaluating the Evidence

“…All were based on non-U.S. samples: Germany (Kersting et al, 2005;Lorenzen & Holzgreve 1995), Norway (Salvesen, Oyen, Schmidt, Malt, & Eik-Nes, 1997), and the United Kingdom (Iles & Gath, 1993;Rona, Smeeton, Beech, Barnett, & Sharland, 1998). We also identified one U.S. study that examined psychological experiences among women who terminated an initially wanted pregnancy because of fetal anomaly, but the study did not include a contrast group (Zeanah, Dailey, Rosenblatt, & Saller, 1993).…”