Miscarriage of a fetus prior to 20 weeks gestation is abortion; it is the most common problem arising from early pregnancy.
A miscarriage can be a very difficult and traumatic thing to deal with, and can take a woman a long time to come to terms with it and to heal.
It is common for women to feel emotions such as guilt, anger, depression, hopelessness, even fear at undergoing a miscarriage; however with some effort one can overcome them.
Guilt is a common emotion felt after a miscarriage; with the woman being convinced that it was something that she did, or did not do that caused the miscarriage. In fact 40% or more of all miscarriages have no medical reason for having happened.
Some pregnancies are high risk ones and women with certain conditions may not carry a baby to term, however the fact is that most miscarriages are impossible to prevent, and guilt that a woman may feel about the occurrence is likely to be misplaced.
Anger at having lost a dearly awaited individual in one’s life is also a natural consequence of a miscarriage. One may rail at fate or at the doctor for failing to predict and prevent an occurrence such as a miscarriage and this anger could well be the first step in the process of healing.
If a constructive channel for expression of anger is sought this could be actually productive.
Depression can set in after a miscarriage as well: crying jags at odd times, a reluctance to meet people or get out of the house, a lassitude and general disinterest in things can all be problems against which a woman may need to be proactive and could actually need some help with. At such a time, picking up a new hobby to divert the mind may be a good idea.
It is important to get some closure to the episode of miscarriage in order to put it behind you: dedicate something to the baby that wasn’t to be, plant a tree in its memory, memorialize the event in some way.
Some women choose to keep a journal. Joining a support group can be very useful in getting over such a traumatic event. Sometimes it is necessary to take the time to grieve, for which it may be necessary to take some time off.
It is also important to remember that a miscarriage, for the most part is not the end, it can well mean a new beginning in the near future!
