An online survey of women’s perceived care needs following miscarriage in hospital settings in Northern Ireland

Background Miscarriage is a traumatic event for many women with significant psychological implications for women’s wellbeing. Women can experience anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following their pregnancy loss. Health professionals are often the first point of contact when women experience symptoms of miscarriage but are not always equipped to meet women’s emotional needs. There is a lack of evidence on how best to support women who experience miscarriage within hospital facilities. This study aimed to fill this gap. Methods A survey was designed and distributed using social media targeting women who experienced miscarriage and attended any hospital facility in Northern Ireland. The survey included needs- and experience-focused questions and ‘The Revised Impact of Miscarriage Scale (RIMS)’. Demographic and experiential associations were analysed using Pearson’s correlation, between subjects t-test, and multiple regression. Results The results showed that miscarriage is associated with negative impacts on women’s emotional and psychological wellbeing. Many women perceived miscarriage as a devastating and isolating event. Further, this study highlighted the influence of socio- demographic and care-related risk factors on miscarriage experience. Conclusions Health professionals should consider a number of issues when interacting with women in hospital, particularly focusing on the emotional factors which can contribute to women’s distress. Although little can be done about socio-demographic factors from a health care point of view, it is still important to acknowledge those as risk factors. There is currently a lack of evidence-based interventions aimed at supporting women in hospital settings and further research should focus on the development of these.