Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

Why Miscarriage Needs Emotional Care At Par with Medical Treatment: Doctors Explain

Conceiving after 7 years of marriage—riddled with societal shame and self-doubt and a host of tests—was a moment of immense joy to Shalini, a 30-year-old IT professional. 

Shalini was cared for, pampered, and showered with gifts. But the happiness was short-lived. At 10 weeks, her doctor delivered devastating news: there was no fetal heartbeat, and the pregnancy would have to be terminated.

Shalini couldn’t process; years of taunts of not being able to deliver a child came back to her ears—a voice so profound that she was unwilling to abort, let come what may. 

However, in a week, the miscarriage occurred. She woke up at 2 am with intense abdominal pain and felt her womb rolling. She rushed to the toilet and found herself in a pool of blood. Her baby was gone.

For more than an hour, she continuously pushed out huge chunks of blood clots—the flesh of her unborn baby. Shalini cried. Then she went numb.

Doctors cleaned her up, but nobody bothered to heal her emotional burden—of not being able to deliver a baby successfully. 

Years passed; Shalini delivered a healthy baby girl, but deep inside her, she still cries for her lost baby.

Shalini is not alone; more than one in five pregnancies worldwide end in miscarriage. While physical recovery is often addressed, emotional care is still met with silence.

The body may heal with treatment and nourishment, but internally, many women grapple with grief, anxiety, and a profound sense of loss that often goes unrecognized and untreated, said doctors, stressing the need for addressing the emotional toll.

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy or the unexpected ending of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks of gestation. 

Most of them occur in 12 weeks and are classed as early miscarriages, while far fewer happen between 13 and 24 weeks. 

<ul><li>vaginal bleeding, </li><li>cramping like a period pain, </li><li>decrease in pregnancy symptoms.</li></ul>

These occur when the fetus stops growing before 20 weeks.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), miscarriage is the most common reason for losing a baby during pregnancy. WHO defines a miscarriage as a baby that dies before 28 weeks.

<h2>Miscarriage: Mental Health Implications </h2>

Also read:<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/parenting/uk-women-who-suffer-from-miscarriage-may-get-two-weeks-paid-leave-article-151166688" data-type="tilCustomLink">UK Women Who Suffer From Miscarriage May Get Two Weeks Paid Leave</a>

Miscarriage often causes sadness, disinterest, sleeplessness, and depression. Many times, women experience low self-esteem and guilt.

There can also be marital issues, differences in psychological reaction of the spouse, and self-blame. There is also a sense of deep personal loss and trauma. It can lead to symptoms such as 

<ul><li>PTSD, </li><li>feelings of yearning, </li><li>emptiness, </li><li>emotional numbing.</li></ul>

HealthandMe spoke to some mental health experts to understand what women who face the unexplained loss suffer.

“Miscarriage in women leads to many adverse consequences in psychological, social, marital, and physical domains. Most immediate effect is an acute feeling of loss, grief, and bereavement,” Dr. Savita Malhotra, President of the Indian Psychiatric Society, told HealthandMe. 

She added that women who faced miscarriage can also feel anxiety over future pregnancies. 

“About 20-30 percent of women after miscarriage show clear depression and anxiety. A similar number may show PTSD. Women who have an earlier history of miscarriage, trauma, or mental illness are more prone to mental ill health,” Dr Malhotra said.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/why-many-older-men-struggle-to-conceive-despite-good-health-article-153966042" data-type="tilCustomLink">Why Many Older Men Struggle to Conceive Despite ‘Good Health’</a>

So why do women face these emotional turmoil?

"The lack of open conversation can intensify isolation, making women feel their pain is invisible or minimized. Social stigma and well-meaning but dismissive comments further deepen the wound," Dr. Chetna Jain Director Dept of Obstetrics &amp; gynecology Cloudnine Group of hospitals, Gurugram, told HealthandMe.

Dr Deepak Raheja, a New Delhi-based psychiatrist, said that miscarriage is not just a medical event; for many women, it represents the loss of a deeply hoped-for future. 

"Hormonal changes, lack of open conversations around pregnancy loss, and a tendency to internalize blame can make the emotional impact even heavier," the doctor told HealthandMe. 

The experts urged the need for better familial support and good marital relationships that can prevent mental health issues in women. 

Recognizing miscarriage as both a medical and emotional event is essential. Compassionate care, counselling, and supportive communities play a critical role in healing and long-term wellbeing.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/featured-articles/planning-a-pregnancy-in-the-30s-expert-answers-faqs-on-womens-fertility-in-30s-article-153911097" data-type="tilCustomLink">Planning A Pregnancy In The 30s: Expert Answers FAQs On Women's Fertility in 30s</a>

Dr Malhotra said, "There's a need for clear mental health intervention and psychiatric treatment."

"It is important to recognize miscarriage as a legitimate form of bereavement," added Dr Raheja.

Compassionate care from families and healthcare professionals, along with timely psychological support, can help women process the loss more healthily and gradually rebuild emotional resilience. 

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Conceiving after 7 years of marriage—riddled with societal shame and self-doubt and a host of tests—was a moment of immense joy to Shalini, a 30-year-old IT professional. Shalini was cared for, pampered, and showered with gifts. But the happiness was short-lived. At 10 weeks, her doctor delivered devastating news: there was no fetal heartbeat, and the pregnancy would have to be terminated. Shalini couldn’t process; years of taunts of not being able to deliver a child came back to her ears—a voice so profound that she was unwilling to abort, let come what may. However, in a week, the miscarriage occurred. She woke up at 2 am with intense abdominal pain and felt her womb rolling. She rushed to the toilet and found herself in a pool of blood. Her baby was gone. For more than an hour, she continuously pushed out huge chunks of blood clots—the flesh of her unborn baby. Shalini cried. Then she went numb. Doctors cleaned her up, but nobody bothered to heal her emotional burden—of not being able to deliver a baby successfully. Years passed; Shalini delivered a healthy baby girl, but deep inside her, she still cries for her lost baby. Shalini is not alone; more than one in five pregnancies worldwide end in miscarriage. While physical recovery is often addressed, emotional care is still met with silence. The body may heal with treatment and nourishment, but internally, many women grapple with grief, anxiety, and a profound sense of loss that often goes unrecognized and untreated, said doctors, stressing the need for addressing the emotional toll.                   What Is A Miscarriage? A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy or the unexpected ending of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks of gestation. Most of them occur in 12 weeks and are classed as early miscarriages, while far fewer happen between 13 and 24 weeks. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding, cramping like a period pain, decrease in pregnancy symptoms.These occur when the fetus stops growing before 20 weeks. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), miscarriage is the most common reason for losing a baby during pregnancy. WHO defines a miscarriage as a baby that dies before 28 weeks.Miscarriage: Mental Health Implications Also read:UK Women Who Suffer From Miscarriage May Get Two Weeks Paid LeaveMiscarriage often causes sadness, disinterest, sleeplessness, and depression. Many times, women experience low self-esteem and guilt. There can also be marital issues, differences in psychological reaction of the spouse, and self-blame. There is also a sense of deep personal loss and trauma. It can lead to symptoms such as PTSD, feelings of yearning, emptiness, emotional numbing.HealthandMe spoke to some mental health experts to understand what women who face the unexplained loss suffer. “Miscarriage in women leads to many adverse consequences in psychological, social, marital, and physical domains. Most immediate effect is an acute feeling of loss, grief, and bereavement,” Dr. Savita Malhotra, President of the Indian Psychiatric Society, told HealthandMe. She added that women who faced miscarriage can also feel anxiety over future pregnancies.  “About 20-30 percent of women after miscarriage show clear depression and anxiety. A similar number may show PTSD. Women who have an earlier history of miscarriage, trauma, or mental illness are more prone to mental ill health,” Dr Malhotra said.Also read: Why Many Older Men Struggle to Conceive Despite ‘Good Health’So why do women face these emotional turmoil?"The lack of open conversation can intensify isolation, making women feel their pain is invisible or minimized. Social stigma and well-meaning but dismissive comments further deepen the wound," Dr. Chetna Jain Director Dept of Obstetrics & gynecology Cloudnine Group of hospitals, Gurugram, told HealthandMe.Dr Deepak Raheja, a New Delhi-based psychiatrist, said that miscarriage is not just a medical event; for many women, it represents the loss of a deeply hoped-for future. "Hormonal changes, lack of open conversations around pregnancy loss, and a tendency to internalize blame can make the emotional impact even heavier," the doctor told HealthandMe. The experts urged the need for better familial support and good marital relationships that can prevent mental health issues in women. Recognizing miscarriage as both a medical and emotional event is essential. Compassionate care, counselling, and supportive communities play a critical role in healing and long-term wellbeing.Also read: Planning A Pregnancy In The 30s: Expert Answers FAQs On Women's Fertility in 30sDr Malhotra said, "There's a need for clear mental health intervention and psychiatric treatment.""It is important to recognize miscarriage as a legitimate form of bereavement," added Dr Raheja. Compassionate care from families and healthcare professionals, along with timely psychological support, can help women process the loss more healthily and gradually rebuild emotional resilience. 

why miscarriage needs emotional care at par with medical treatment: doctors explain

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Why Miscarriage Needs Emotional Care At Par with Medical Treatment: Doctors Explain

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Why Miscarriage Needs Emotional Care At Par with Medical Treatment: Doctors Explain

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