Reoccuring Miscarriages
Miscarriages seem to be a more and more frequent occurrences in today’s society. It is pretty evident from seeing a person going through such a time in their life that it is emotionally and physically straining. However, it does not seem as though many studies are conducted based on the effects a miscarriage has on a couple. It is not a condition that is openly discussed or provided support for. It seems as though seeing it’s effects on different people may lead to some kind of insight into the psychological and emotional stresses of a miscarriage. In searching for some studies and answers to miscarriages I came across a study that was conducted trying to find out the relationship between women and men and their reaction to grief after miscarriages.
Some ideas as to why miscarriages are so taxing have been discussed. They include ideas that people try to protect themselves, or feel guilt. The individuals would protect themselves by distancing themselves from a new pregnancy which may be another possible failure, before it occurs. A woman might feel guilty and blame herself in order to find a reason as to why the miscarriage occurred, increasing her grief. Another idea is that a reoccurring miscarriage may affect a couples sexuality as it is connected with fertility. A women not being able to carry a pregnancy may lead to low self worth and body image which may in turn lead to sexual problems. A man may feel frustration, lack of control, rage, guilt, and lowered self esteem, leading to doubts of self worth which may in turn cause erectile dysfunction and a fear of sex. As is evident, these situations all require attention and support in order to better.
The aim of this study was to describe the consequences of reoccurring miscarriages on the relationship of the couple (on communication and sexuality) and find gender differences in attitudes and intensity in grief towards failure. 30 couples with at least 3 consecutive miscarriages and no living children were questioned for this study. The time interval between the loss and the data collection was longer than three months and the relationship average was about 6.66 years. To collect information questionnaires were used. Two measures on the psychological suffering and two measures on the quality of the couple’s relationship were taken.
Results showed that the mean for measures of stress showed high levels of stress in both males and females. It showed that both men and women avoid the subject of miscarriage and attempt to suppress their feelings of loss with the miscarriage. Grief scores were also high for both males and females. Women showed higher levels in active grief and despair than men in general. The study showed that the relationship was more positive after the reoccurring miscarriages in terms of personal communication, and tenderness. The couple was able to express their needs and wants more clearly. The study also supports the idea of gender differences in the experiences of reoccurring miscarriages mainly on the effects of it. The consequences of grief in women related it to a worse communication between the couple. In men, the consequences of grief were related to a worse sexual life. In both cases however, the higher the suffering the lower the quality.
Although miscarriages are unfortunate and also very taxing on the couple with the loss, it has been shown that there are some positives in the relationship as a result of the miscarriage. This may suggest some positive steps towards reducing the grief felt from miscarriages. From further studies it seems as though more support after reoccurring miscarriages will be able to be offered.
HEH
posted by PWH @ 11:52 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Interesting topic, although i think it deals more with the psychology aspect than the biology aspect of miscarriages. The study used people who had multiple miscarriages, My questions is: I wonder why those people had several successive miscarriages (and how long they waited in between trying to get pregnant again) Perhaps the grief compounds the negative biological effects on the body, and makes a couple more likely to miscarry again?
wagnere6
I had no idea that miscarriages were so common. So I never thought too much about studying them really. I knew people would be sad, as something like that must be devistating, but I never thought that people would feel guilt. It makes sense though.
I think writing about Miscarriages was an interesting topic to choice. I agree with the fact that often times miscarriages can go without being discussed, or dealt with. Because it is not a "hot topic," and is often an issue dealt with in the home, many people feel to realize how many people are actually affected by such a loss as this.
I found it interesting that gender differences resulted in different grieving mechanisms. I can see how a man may feel inadequate, were as a woman may be more afraid of reliving a past experience. I personally wonder if views on abortion, and "when a fertilized egg actually becomes a life" also plays into the way a couple feels or deals with a miscarriage.
I thought your blog was provoking, and sparked interest in further research into the subject matter. I would have liked to hear however, what are some resources a couple or person can lean on in need of support or counseling. Also you said that a miscarriage can have positive effects on a couple toward the end of your blog. I would have loved to hear what those positives may have been. Does it bring the couple closer, dealing and going though the same personal mishap? Does the couple comfort each other and learn more about each others feelings in the process? It would have been intriguing to find out some of the positive aspects that people don't consider in situations like these.
Lastly, when thinking about a couple’s grief after a miscarriage, I felt that the article concentrated on short term effects. I begin to think about the long term effects of a miscarriage on a couple and an individual person. Does the couple think about "what might have been" when it comes to their unborn child. Are their feelings of guilt and performance a long term effect?
Good job with the blog...just be careful about grammar and clarification.
Depiano7
After reading the blog, I was a little surprised, agreeing with other comments, that it seemed to deal with more of a psychological aspects to experiencing a miscarriage than biological. Don't get me wrong, I definitely think that the effects of miscarriages should be made more aware. Did the study discuss whether the couples had gone through IVF? That may have had an effect on how the couple also grieve seeing how the process is so un-intimate and then ends with loss.
In addition, towards the end of the end of the article I was confused when you said, "The study showed that the relationship was more positive after the reoccurring miscarriages in terms of personal communication, tenderness, and sexual life....The consequences of grief in women related it to a worse communication between the couple. In men, the consequences of grief were related to a worse sexual life." Unless I am reading it wrong, the sentences seem to contradict each other. Also, I realize there are some bad side effects to grieving over a miscarriage, but I don't think that couples should stop grieving all together. They should be able to grieve the loss of their child, if they don't feel the loss at all that's unusual and a little cold.
gervera6
Actually my cousin just had a miscarriage and it was very upsetting for the whole family. We were all looking forward to having a new little family member. I know that both my cousin and her husband were upset because it happend to them once before with their pregnancy. But they must have not been too upset because she is pregnant again and she is going to have the baby in June. Maybe their positive attitudes gave a positive biological environment for the baby to live and grow.
Great job on this blog. I am still curious about the cause of many miscarriagies! Just to make a side note, I went into a gas station the other day and saw this pregnant young lady drinking a Red Bull drink. I was completely shocked to see anything like that. I also think that she has the right to blame herslef if anything happens to her little baby because she truly knows somewhere deep in the mind that drinking energy drink while pregnant is completely wrong.
Mike
I found this article very intriguing. I have both an Uncle and Aunt, and close family friend, who experienced multiply miscarrages. So this article hit close to home. I found it interesting that although both men and women were dealing with guilt, that their communication, in most cases, was better. It simply intrigues me that when obviously suffering the human mind and body, seek out others to help deal with that pain.
I am curious, though, to find out more about the physiological effects of miscarrage and the individual and couple. I know that often, when stressed the body physiologically reacts to the stress, and I was just wondering how the stress of a miscarrage effects the physiological processes of both the men and women?
JMcNeill
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