A Comparison of Grief as Related to Miscarriage and Termination for Fetal Abnormality

This study proposed that maternal bereavement in women who experienced miscarriage and women who terminated for fetal abnormality would differ related to the existence of a grief reaction, and to identify the factors that differentiated the two groups. There were no significant grief differences between the miscarriage group and termination group. The groups were then combined to analyze within group factors. Six fixed variables were found to be related to vulnerability for a grief reaction. Factors included: time since the most recent loss; intervention of counseling; employment outside the home; feeling responsible for the perinatal loss; age of the mother as related to guilt; and gestational length of pregnancy. The loss of a wanted pregnancy in the second trimester because of miscarriage or termination for fetal abnormality causes a woman to mourn for both the possibly malformed baby she was carrying and the perfect baby she mentally anticipated. Perinatal loss is unique and troubling because there is usually no visible child to mourn, and no memories of shared life experiences. The death is sudden and often coupled with a lack of recognition by relatives and friends regarding the significance of the loss (Lee & Slade, 1996). Personal stories of women who miscarry or terminate a wanted pregnancy for fetal abnormality reverberate with feelings of loss and emptiness. In addition, women who terminate cite the added emotional pain of guilt for choosing to end a life. This guilt enters into and permeates the woman’s mourning process.