Justė Gaižauskaitė¹, Laura Grincevičiūtė¹

¹ Medical academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania 

ABSTRACT

Miscarriage is a premature loss of fetus, which happens until the beginning of the 22nd week of pregnancy. Its incidence is around 20% of all pregnancies and it is one of the most common complications of pregnancy.

This article reviews literature data on the risk factors for miscarriage. Factors identified include: maternal age, previous history of pregnancy complications, smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The most common cause of miscarriage is genetic changes in the fetus, usually aneuploidy. Other causes of miscarriage include changes in the anatomical structure of the uterus, thrombophilia, endocrine and autoimmune diseases.

Miscarriage is a severe emotional experience that is often associated with the risk of psychological problems and mental illness. This literature review discusses the most commonly reported manifestations of mental illness among women who have experienced miscarriage. According to various studies, about 30% of these women face mental illness and psychological problems. Symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress are the most commonly studied and identified.

The aim of this article is to review the latest research on this topic and to draw attention to the issue of the mental state of women who have experienced miscarriage.

Keywords: miscarriage, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress syndrome