Assessment of Emotional Distresses among Women with Recent Miscarriage in Kerbala, 2024

Background: Miscarriage is considered one of the major complications of pregnancy and has short- and long-term adverse emotional effects on women. Women may experience emotional distress disorders after miscarriage, such as anxiety, anger, depression, or hopelessness. The study aimed to assess the emotional distress of recent miscarriage among women in Holly Kerbala 2024. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 450 women who had 1 or more previous miscarriages before 6 months or less and who attended Obstetrics and Gynecology Teaching Hospital and Al-Husseinyia General Hospital from March 2024 to July 2024. Emotional distress was assessed using the revised Perceived Emotional Distress Inventory (PEDI). Results: The study found that the history of previous miscarriage was reported by 50.7%, and spontaneous miscarriage by more than two-thirds (66%). Miscarriage in the first trimester was reported by 70%. Complications after miscarriage were reported close to two-thirds (65.3%), including bleeding, infection, and retained pieces. Infertility before miscarriage was reported by more than one half of participants (53.1%); most of them have infertility of one year's duration. Regarding emotional distress, the highest mean score was for anger (1.60±0.68), and the lowest was for hopelessness (1.40±0.74). There is significant correlation between occupation, chronic disease, drug history, parity, previous miscarriage, complication after miscarriage, infertility before miscarriage, type of pregnancy, and all the items of the perceived emotional distress inventory scale (PEDI). Conclusions: There was a significant association between miscarriage and emotional distress (anger, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness), and there is an approximately close ratio between all four items of the emotional distress scale in women who have had previous miscarriages.