Women's desires for mental health support following a pregnancy loss, termination of pregnancy for medical reasons, or abortion: A report from the STRONG Women Study.

OBJECTIVE

We report on women's mental health care desires following a miscarriage, medical termination, or abortion.

METHOD: 689 women completed a questionnaire on reproductive history, health care following miscarriage/medical termination/abortion, and current mental health. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses examined: miscarriage/termination/abortion incidence, desires for mental health support following miscarriages/terminations/abortions, and current mental health.

RESULTS

Of 365 women with a pregnancy history, 37% reported ≥1 miscarriage, 9% ≥1 medical termination, 16% ≥1 abortion, and 3% endorsed all three. Current mental health did not differ between women with a history of miscarriage/termination/abortion and those with only live births (p = 0.82). Following miscarriage, 68% of women discussed options for the medical management of pregnancy loss with their provider, 32% discussed grief/loss, and 25% received mental health care recommendations. Engagement in mental health services was reported by 16% of women with a history of miscarriage, 38% after medical termination, and 19% following an abortion. Of women who became pregnant after their most recent miscarriage/termination/abortion and did not receive mental health care, 55% wished they had received services during the subsequent pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Women desire mental health care after miscarriages, medical terminations, or abortions, warranting improved access to mental health care for these individuals.