This phenomenological study examined the experience of miscarriage from the couple's perspective. The study participants were six couples who had miscarried within four weeks of the initial interview. Data were collected in interviews and were analyzed concurrently. Themes were identified and validated by the couples as the interviews progressed. Findings from analysis confirmed that couples grieve following a miscarriage. This grief experience is represented by a composite of four interacting motifs called Discovery, Disclosure, Definition and Decision. Each motif is characterized by dominant emotions and behaviours. The composite interacts with the external theme of Health Care Interactions. Findings supported assertions that individuals within the couple relationship grieve incongruently. The grief experience is facilitated or hampered by the quality of health care interactions the couple experiences. Couples identified needs that were unmet during the experience particularly the need to talk through the experience at a later time and the need to have their losses acknowledged by their health care givers. Differences in Discovery were found between couples who had a prodromal phase of miscarriage and those who had a missed abortion. Couples who had a missed abortion experienced confusion in addition to the shock and disbelief encountered at this time. Findings also supported the assertion that grief following a miscarriage is generally resolved within twelve weeks. This description of the grief experience following a miscarriage will assist nurses to provide couple-centred care to facilitate resolution of their grief. Implications for practice, research and education are described to enhance the nurse's ability to provide more effective care to miscarrying couples. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

The incidence of congenital anomalies or potential congenital anomalies of fetuses is two to three percent. Most women who have a positive diagnosis of a congenital anomaly choose to terminate the pregnancy. A review of the literature identifies conflict preabortion and grief postabortion as key variables for women terminating pregnancies for genetic indications. The purpose of this study was to study the degree of conflict in the decision-making process preabortion and the intensity of grief six weeks postabortion and to determine if a relationship exists between the conflict and grief variables. This was a descriptive, correlational study which used summary statistics to analyze the data. Women responded to a questionnaire six weeks postabortion about conflict experienced pretermination and current grief experienced. The sample included nine women who aborted in the second trimester of pregnancy following either ultrasound, chorionic villi sampling, or alpha-fetoprotein analysis of the fetus. The findings indicated that the women experienced conflict while deciding whether or not to abort the fetus and that at six weeks posttermination the intensity of grief experienced was still high. A scatter plot revealed a curvilinear relationship showing grief plateauing and then decreasing as the conflict scores rose. Recommendations were that objective counselling in the decision-making period prior to the termination be provided, and grief counselling should continue longer than six weeks posttermination for those who need counselling. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

Este trabalho trata da interrupção da gestação, em casos de diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal e os processos psíquicos dela decorrentes. São feitas algumas considerações sobre os aspectos históricos e políticos da reprodução e da sexualidade, explorando, em seguida, aspectos relativos ao contexto cultural do aborto; o debate sobre o início da vida humana; questões da bioética e da legislação. O trabalho explora, ainda, questões sobre a legislação brasileira, Medicina Fetal e os processos psíquicos desencadeados a partir do diagnóstico de anomalia fetal letal. Foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa de campo, na Divisão de Clínica Obstétrica do Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP, para aprofundar as questões teóricas discutidas. No período de agosto de 1998 a dezembro de 2003, foram realizadas entrevistas abertas com 249 mulheres, após terem recebido o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal e entrevista semidirigida com trinta e cinco destas pacientes após a interrupção da gravidez. Este trabalho tem como objetivos específicos: identificar os processos psíquicos desencadeados nas mulheres, após o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal; no processo de decisão pela interrupção judicial da gravidez; após a interrupção da gravidez; e identificar, na opinião das mulheres que receberam o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal e que realizaram a interrupção da gestação, qual o papel da consulta psicológica nesse processo. A análise dos dados se deu de forma quantitativa e qualitativa. Os resultados obtidos versam tanto sobre o momento do diagnóstico como experiência que propicia um caos temporário com perda do raciocínio lógico, não permitindo reflexões imediatas. Demonstra as angústias vivenciadas no processo de decisão pela interrupção ou manutenção da gravidez, apresentando o processo de reflexão como de fundamental importância para decisão consciente e para posterior satisfação com a decisão tomada. O acompanhamento psicológico foi destacado como de fundamental importância para elaborar a situação vivida. Conclui que o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal ativa mecanismos de defesa para manutenção do equilíbrio psíquico. O processo de decisão pela interrupção da gravidez deve ser acompanhado por um psicólogo para que ocorra revisão dos valores morais e culturais permitindo uma decisão adequada que visa minimizar o sofrimento vivido. / This research is about the termination of pregnancy in situations where lethal fetal malformation has been diagnosed, and the psychic process that the patient goes through in these cases. The study was done with some consideration for the historical and political process of reproduction and sexuality, exploring aspects about the cultural context of abortion, the beginning of human life, issues about bioethics, and specific Brazilian laws on abortion. It discusses the point of view of the Catholic Church on the termination of pregnancy. This research also explores questions about Brazilian laws, fetal medicine, and the psychic processes triggered after the diagnosis of fetal anomaly. This study was performed at the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, in the Department of Obstetrics Between august, 1998 and December, 2003 open interviews was performed with 249 women after they have been diagnosed with lethal malformation of the fetus, and semi-direct interviews with 35 women after their pregnancy had been terminated. The objective of this research was not only to identify the psychic process women undergo after the diagnosis of lethal fetal malformation, during the decision-making process for the judicial intervention in the pregnancy, and after the termination itself; but also to know their opinion about the function of the psychological consult in this process. The data analysis was quantitative and qualitative. The results show that the moment of the diagnosis is an experience that creates a temporary chaos that deprives logical reasoning, and this situation does not allow an immediate decision. It shows the distress experienced in the decision-making process, showing that a reflective process is essential to the conscious decision and to being satisfied with the decision once it has been made. The psychological follow-up was determined to be of essential importance to understanding this situation. The study concludes that the diagnosis of lethal malformation of the fetus triggers a defense mechanism to maintain the psychic equilibrium. A psychologist must follow the process of the decision through to the termination of the pregnancy in order to provide a moral and cultural reflection leading to the correct decision and minimizing the emotional distress for the patient.

Este trabalho trata da interrupção da gestação, em casos de diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal e os processos psíquicos dela decorrentes. São feitas algumas considerações sobre os aspectos históricos e políticos da reprodução e da sexualidade, explorando, em seguida, aspectos relativos ao contexto cultural do aborto; o debate sobre o início da vida humana; questões da bioética e da legislação. O trabalho explora, ainda, questões sobre a legislação brasileira, Medicina Fetal e os processos psíquicos desencadeados a partir do diagnóstico de anomalia fetal letal. Foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa de campo, na Divisão de Clínica Obstétrica do Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP, para aprofundar as questões teóricas discutidas. No período de agosto de 1998 a dezembro de 2003, foram realizadas entrevistas abertas com 249 mulheres, após terem recebido o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal e entrevista semidirigida com trinta e cinco destas pacientes após a interrupção da gravidez. Este trabalho tem como objetivos específicos: identificar os processos psíquicos desencadeados nas mulheres, após o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal; no processo de decisão pela interrupção judicial da gravidez; após a interrupção da gravidez; e identificar, na opinião das mulheres que receberam o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal e que realizaram a interrupção da gestação, qual o papel da consulta psicológica nesse processo. A análise dos dados se deu de forma quantitativa e qualitativa. Os resultados obtidos versam tanto sobre o momento do diagnóstico como experiência que propicia um caos temporário com perda do raciocínio lógico, não permitindo reflexões imediatas. Demonstra as angústias vivenciadas no processo de decisão pela interrupção ou manutenção da gravidez, apresentando o processo de reflexão como de fundamental importância para decisão consciente e para posterior satisfação com a decisão tomada. O acompanhamento psicológico foi destacado como de fundamental importância para elaborar a situação vivida. Conclui que o diagnóstico de malformação fetal letal ativa mecanismos de defesa para manutenção do equilíbrio psíquico. O processo de decisão pela interrupção da gravidez deve ser acompanhado por um psicólogo para que ocorra revisão dos valores morais e culturais permitindo uma decisão adequada que visa minimizar o sofrimento vivido. / This research is about the termination of pregnancy in situations where lethal fetal malformation has been diagnosed, and the psychic process that the patient goes through in these cases. The study was done with some consideration for the historical and political process of reproduction and sexuality, exploring aspects about the cultural context of abortion, the beginning of human life, issues about bioethics, and specific Brazilian laws on abortion. It discusses the point of view of the Catholic Church on the termination of pregnancy. This research also explores questions about Brazilian laws, fetal medicine, and the psychic processes triggered after the diagnosis of fetal anomaly. This study was performed at the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, in the Department of Obstetrics Between august, 1998 and December, 2003 open interviews was performed with 249 women after they have been diagnosed with lethal malformation of the fetus, and semi-direct interviews with 35 women after their pregnancy had been terminated. The objective of this research was not only to identify the psychic process women undergo after the diagnosis of lethal fetal malformation, during the decision-making process for the judicial intervention in the pregnancy, and after the termination itself; but also to know their opinion about the function of the psychological consult in this process. The data analysis was quantitative and qualitative. The results show that the moment of the diagnosis is an experience that creates a temporary chaos that deprives logical reasoning, and this situation does not allow an immediate decision. It shows the distress experienced in the decision-making process, showing that a reflective process is essential to the conscious decision and to being satisfied with the decision once it has been made. The psychological follow-up was determined to be of essential importance to understanding this situation. The study concludes that the diagnosis of lethal malformation of the fetus triggers a defense mechanism to maintain the psychic equilibrium. A psychologist must follow the process of the decision through to the termination of the pregnancy in order to provide a moral and cultural reflection leading to the correct decision and minimizing the emotional distress for the patient.

Grief and causal attribution are two of the most commonly observed reactions to early miscarriage, yet little is known about these reactions or whether a relationship exists between them. This exploratory and descriptive correlational study examined the maternal grief intensities, the causal attributions, and the relationship between them in a convenience sample of 15 women who spontaneously aborted at 16 weeks' or less gestation. Women responded to both a written questionnaire and a semi-structured Interview at 6 to 10 weeks post-miscarriage. Their responses Indicated both current and retrospective reactions to their miscarriages. Responses were analysed using nonparametric statistics and content analysis. Maternal grief Intensities were found to vary widely at the time of the miscarriage, but all decreased significantly 6 to 10 weeks later. All women reacted to their miscarriage with attribution-seeking behaviors. The explanations most women formed were comprised of more than one causal attribution. Attributions were observed to have four distinct characteristics. Causal attributions were found to be either philosophical or physically oriented; to be organic, non-specific or maternal/self-blaming In origin; to be either dominant or non-dominant, and/or to refer to causalities immediate or prior to the physical event. At the time of the miscarriage a positive correlation between grief Intensity and maternal/self-blaming attributions and between grief Intensity and philosophical attributions was found. These relationships were not observed 6 to 10 weeks later. A positive correlation was found between grief intensity and attributions to maternal emotions at both the time of the miscarriage and 6 to 10 weeks later. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate