When the Cradle Stays Empty: Grief is Different for Everyone
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To explore women's experiences of perinatal grief, depression, anxiety, and stress across various personal and social factors.
STUDY DESIGN
Cross-sectional survey design.
PLACE & DURATION OF STUDY
The present study was conducted online over four months from November 2024 to February 2025.
METHOD
A total of 139 women (aged 18-55) who had recently experienced a miscarriage were included using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through Perinatal Grief Scale and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Data were analysed using the statistical software SPSS 27.
RESULTS
Women who reported satisfaction with their relationship had significantly lower scores on perinatal grief, depression, and anxiety. Similarly, women who reported satisfaction with their home environment scored lower on perinatal grief, depression, anxiety, and stress, and those who experienced emotional problems after miscarriage had significantly higher scores on all measures. One-way ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in our study measures across three marital status groups: married, divorced, and widowed.
CONCLUSION
Women's experiences of perinatal grief, depression, anxiety, and stress varied significantly according to relationship satisfaction, family support, home environment, marital status, and emotional vulnerabilities.
Downloads
References
Asim M, Karim S, Khwaja H, Hameed W, Saleem S. The unspoken grief of multiple stillbirths in rural Pakistan: an interpretative phenomenological study. BMC Womens Health. 2022;22(1):45. doi:10.1186/s12905-022-01622-3
Mota C, Sánchez C, Carreño J, Gómez ME. Paternal Experiences of Perinatal Loss-A Scoping Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(6):4886. doi:10.3390/ijerph20064886
Youngblut JM, Brooten D, Glaze J, Promise T, Yoo C. Parent Grief 1-13 Months After Death in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units. J Loss Trauma. 2017;22(1):77-96. doi:10.1080/15325024.2016.1187049
Herbert D, Young K, Pietrusińska M, MacBeth A. The mental health impact of perinatal loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2022;297:118-129. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.026
Leon IG. Psychodynamics of perinatal loss. Psychiatry. 1986;49(4):312-324. doi:10.1080/00332747.1986.11024331
Gillani SA, Zafar F, Javaid R. The Journey of Grief: Exploring Gender Differences and Social Support, Following the Death of Significant Others. The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies. 2025;3(1): 917-931. doi: https://doi.org/10.59075/ayzvag81
Silverman GS, Baroiller A, Hemer SR. Culture and grief: Ethnographic perspectives on ritual, relationships and remembering. Death Stud. 2021;45(1):1-8. doi:10.1080/07481187.2020.1851885
Janssen HJ, Cuisinier MC, de Graauw KP, Hoogduin KA. A prospective study of risk factors predicting grief intensity following pregnancy loss. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997;54(1):56-61. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830130062013
Lasker JN, Toedter LJ. Predicting outcomes after pregnancy loss: results from studies using the perinatal grief scale. Illn Crisis Loss. 2000;8(4):350–372. doi: 10.1177/105413730000800402
Sample size calculator [Internet]. Raosoft, Inc.; [cited 01 May 2025]. Available from: http://www.raosoft.com/samplesize.html
Potvin L, Lasker J, Toedter L. Measuring grief: A short version of the perinatal grief scale.
J Psychopathol Behav Assess. 1989; 11(1): 29–45. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00962697
Henry JD, Crawford JR. The short-form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): construct validity and normative data in a large non-clinical sample. Br J Clin Psychol. 2005;44(2): 227-239. doi:10.1348/014466505X29657
Smid GE. A framework of meaning attribution following loss. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2020;11(1):1776563. doi:10.1080/20008198.2020.1776563
Cohen S, Wills TA. Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychol Bull. 1985;98(2):310-357.
Roberts LR, Renati SJ, Solomon S, Montgomery S. Perinatal Grief Among Poor Rural and Urban Women in Central India. Int J Womens Health. 2021;13:305-315. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S297292
Wendołowska A, Kiełek-Rataj E, Kalus A, Czyżowska D. Perceived Partner's Self-Control and Social Support Effects on Relationship Satisfaction in Couples Experiencing Infertility or Miscarriage: Dyadic Analyses. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(4):1970. doi:10.3390/ijerph19041970
Taylor SE, Brown JD. Illusion and well-being: a social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychol Bull. 1988;103(2):193-210.
Eisma MC, Stroebe MS. Emotion Regulatory Strategies in Complicated Grief: A Systematic Review. Behav Ther. 2021;52(1):234-249. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2020.04.004
Cacciatore J, Thieleman K, Fretts R, Jackson LB. What is good grief support? Exploring the actors and actions in social support after traumatic grief. PLoS One. 2021;16(5):e0252324. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0252324
Zhang X, Chen Y, Zhao M, Yuan M, Zeng T, Wu M. Complicated grief following the perinatal loss: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024;24(1):772. doi:10.1186/s12884-024-06986-y
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright © JPPS. Published by Pakistan Psychiatric Society
Licensing: This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Readers may “Share-copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format” and “Adapt-remix, transform, and build upon the material”. The readers must give appropriate credit to the source of the material and indicate if changes were made to the material. Readers may not use the material for commercial purposes. The readers may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
.png)
