Home Magazines Editors-in-Chief FAQs Contact Us

Associations between a prior pregnancy loss and stress during the subsequent pregnancy and puerperal periods


Obstetrics & Gynecology International Journal
Ana Cristina Barros da Cunha,1 Fernanda Vivas de Souza Santana,2 Gisèle Passos da Costa Gribel,3 Daniela Porto Faus4

Abstract

Objective: Considering that the abortion may result in significant psychological risks for women, the purpose of this study was to analyze associations between previous gestational losses and stress in subsequent pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive and comparative cohort study with a sample of 62 pregnant women was conducted with data collected from pregnant population attended at the prenatal service of Maternity School Hospital of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). All responded to the Lipp Adult Stress Symptom Inventory (ISSL) at their 35th week of gestation during the pre-anesthetic consultation and the puerperium, and a sociodemographic questionnaire was applied. Sociodemographic data were analyzed and compared descriptively. Multivariate logistic regression models were adopted to analyze associations between previous gestational loss and stress during subsequent pregnancy and postpartum.

Results: Women with a history of loss were eight times more likely to be stressed in their puerperium (p=0.01; OR=6.65) than those with no previous loss. However, stress during gestation was not significantly higher in pregnant women with previous gestational loss when compared to pregnant women with no history of loss (p=0.42; OR=0.46).

Conclusion:Considering that woman with a history of gestational loss has more chance to present stress symptoms at postpartum, the perinatal attention to this group is important in subsequent pregnancies, adopting a careful clinical approach for the reproductive and mental health of this population.

Keywords

Stress psychological, Perinatal loss, Pregnancy, Puerperium, Psychology, Obstetric anesthesia, Preterm birth, Neuropsychological development

Testimonials