Half of women feel guilt after miscarriage

ALMOST half of women who have a miscarriage feel guilty about it and over a quarter ashamed, a study shows.

The survey of more than 1,000 women and men found that because miscarriage is rarely discussed in public, misconceptions about it are widespread and couples often feel isolated afterwards.

Miscarriages end one in every four pregnancies, but 55 per cent of those polled for the US study believed they are ‘uncommon’, affecting fewer than one in ten.

Describing miscarriage as ‘a traditionally taboo subject’, Dr Zev Williams, a women’s health specialist at Yeshiva University in New York, said he and his colleagues carried out the online survey to assess what the public knew about it.

A total of 55 per cent of the responses were from women and 45 per cent from men, and 15 per cent said they or their partner had suffered a miscarriage.

Of those reporting direct experience, 47 per cent said they had felt guilty and 41 per cent that they had done something wrong. A total of 28 per cent felt ashamed, and 45 per cent that they got inadequate emotional support from medical professionals.

The study, published online in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, showed 22 per cent of respondents thought lifestyle choices such as smoking during pregnancy are the most common cause of miscarriage.

In fact, the researchers said 60 per cent of miscarriages are caused by a genetic problem – abnormal chromosomes.

Dr Willams said: ‘We need to better educate people about miscarriage, which could help reduce the shame and stigma.’