Miscarriage profoundly impacts emotional well-being, frequently leading to psychological distress, trauma, and grief for women and their partners. Disappointingly, many women and partners express dissatisfaction with the emotional support received during this challenging time. Healthcare providers also report feeling inadequately prepared to offer the necessary emotional care. This review examines the perspectives of women experiencing miscarriage, their partners, and healthcare providers to identify crucial areas for future research aimed at enhancing support for bereaved parents and improving healthcare practices.
Research involved searching electronic databases for studies focusing on emotional care during miscarriage from the viewpoints of women, partners, and healthcare professionals. The review encompassed studies published in English between 2015 and 2022, employing both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Thematic analysis was conducted to synthesize findings into key themes and subthemes.
The analysis of 60 studies revealed significant insights. For women, two primary needs emerged: firstly, a greater need for comprehensive information regarding miscarriage, and secondly, a profound need for the acknowledgment and validation of their loss. Similarly, partners also expressed two main needs: increased access to information and the critical need for recognition of their own grief and experience. Healthcare providers identified three key areas for improvement: a need for enhanced training in providing emotional support, understanding the essential components of quality care in miscarriage situations, and addressing perceived barriers that hinder their ability to deliver effective care.
The identified needs demonstrate a significant overlap between bereaved parents and their healthcare providers. There is a general consensus regarding the obstacles to providing optimal care. To better address these needs, future research should prioritize five key areas: empirically evaluating strategies to effectively meet the identified needs of women and partners, investigating setting-specific needs across different healthcare environments, adopting an integrated approach that considers all relevant roles in miscarriage care, exploring the unique care needs of diverse populations, and examining the predictors of emotional impact following miscarriage. Further research in these areas is crucial to developing more effective and compassionate support systems for Women Partners and all individuals affected by miscarriage.
