Between grief and silence: Women's mental health after gestational loss

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i1.50515

Keywords:

Pregnancy loss, Mental health, Nursing.

Abstract

Pregnancy loss is an event with a significant emotional and psychological impact, capable of triggering feelings of sadness, guilt, frustration, and existential emptiness, which significantly compromise a woman's mental health. This article analyzed the impacts of pregnancy loss on women's mental health, considering the emotional and social implications and the role of support offered by healthcare professionals, especially nurses. This qualitative and exploratory study consists of a systematic literature review aimed at analyzing the impacts of pregnancy loss on women's mental health and identifying the role of multidisciplinary support, especially nursing, in coping with grief. Eight articles published between 2020 and 2025, selected from national and international databases, were included. The results indicated that the absence of adequate support, sensitive communication, and psychological assistance contributes to the worsening of suffering and increases the risk of pathological grief, anxiety, and depression. In contrast, the role of nursing, combined with multidisciplinary support, proved essential in providing active listening, guidance, continuous monitoring, and necessary referrals, favoring the reinterpretation of loss and the development of resilience strategies. It is concluded that valuing this experience and implementing humanized care protocols are fundamental for promoting women's mental health and strengthening the family and social support network.

References

Cuenca, D. (2023). Pregnancy loss: Consequences for mental health. Frontiers in global women's health. 3, 1032212.

Ercole, F. F., Melo, L. S. & Alcoforado, C. L. G. C .(2014). Revisão integrativa versus revisão sistemática. Revista Mineira de Enfermagem.18(1), 9-12.

Köneş, M. Ö. & Yildiz, H. (2021). The level of grief in women with pregnancy loss: a prospective evaluation of the first three months of perinatal loss. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology. 42(4), 346-55.

Liu, S. et al. (2023). Japanese Nursing Staff's Knowledge and Attitude toward Bereavement Care for Couples with Miscarriage/Stillbirth and Its Associated Factors. Acta Medica Okayama. 77(6), 577-87.

Liu, S. et al. (2024). Practice and Attitudes of Nursing Staff to Bereavement Care for Pregnancy Loss: A Cross-Sectional Survey. doi: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5011363/v1

Maciel, C. G. et al. (2022). Integralidade do cuidado de enfermagem à mulher que sofre perda gestacional. Research, Society and Development. 11(6), e5111628545-e5111628545.

Martins, M. V. et al. (2023). Death is a sensitive topic when you are surrounded by life”: Nurses experiences with pregnancy loss. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare. 35, 100817.

Mendes, D. C. G., Fonseca, A. & Cameirão, M. S. (2024).The relationship between healthcare satisfaction after miscarriage and perinatal grief symptoms: A cross-sectional study on Portugal residents. Social Science & Medicine. 353, 117037.

Pereira, A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [free ebook]. Santa Maria. Editora da UFSM.

Reardon, D. C. & Craver, C. (2021). Effects of pregnancy loss on subsequent postpartum mental health: A prospective longitudinal cohort study. International journal of environmental research and public health. 18(4), 2179.

Rosa, B. G. da. (2020). Perda gestacional: Aspectos emocionais da mulher e o suporte da família na elaboração do luto. Revista PsicoFAE: Pluralidades em Saúde Mental. 9(2), 86-99.

Santos, P. A. et al. (2023). Meu luto é mais dolorido que o dele": Experiências de Perda Gestacional. Revista Subjetividades. 23(3), 1-15.

Shen, Q. et al. (2024). Associations between pregnancy loss and common mental disorders in women: a large prospective cohort study. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 15, 1326894.

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, Elsevier. 104(C), 333-9. Doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039.

Teixeira, L. R. G. (2021). A perda gestacional e o papel da enfermagem: revisão de literatura. Repositório de Trabalhos de Conclusão de Curso da Unifacig.https://pensaracademico.unifacig.edu.br/index.php/repositoriotcc/article/view/3329.

Teodózio, A. M., Barth, M. C. & Levandowski, D. C. (2022). Percepções e sentimentos sobre o bebê subsequente à perda gestacional. Arquivos Brasileiros de Psicologia. 74.

Vescovi, G. & Levandowski, D. C. (2023). Percepção sobre o cuidado à perda gestacional: estudo qualitativo com casais brasileiros. Psicologia: Ciência e Profissão. 43, e252071.

Wang, S. et al. (2024). Association between pregnancy loss and depressive symptoms in women: a population-based study. BMC psychiatry. 24(1), 526.

Published

2026-01-31

Issue

Section

Note Preview

How to Cite

Between grief and silence: Women’s mental health after gestational loss. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 15, n. 1, p. e8615150515, 2026. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v15i1.50515. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/rsd/article/view/50515. Acesso em: 3 feb. 2026.