Factors Affecting Post-traumatic Stress Disorder In Women With Miscarriage: A Systematic Review

Authors
Aynaz Bagherzadi
Reza Abdollahi
Saeed Yavari
Maryam Dadashi GogjeYaran
10.61186/ibj.25th-11th-IACRTIMSS
Abstract
Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes adverse outcomes in women following abortion. Identifying factors affecting this event can help prevent its complications. This study, in the form of a systematic review, examined the factors affecting PTSD in women who have had a miscarriage.

Search Strategy: To find relevant studies, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, and the primary search was performed accordingly in March 2024. PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, and Science Direct databases were searched using keywords “post-traumatic stress disorder”, “abortion”, and “female”, and no lower time limits were applied when conducting searches. The quality of the articles was evaluated using the STROBE checklist.

Results: The combined sample size for 19 studies was 789. All studies were observational and cross-sectional. The results showed that factors such as previous abortion, depression, anxiety, young age, low education level, history of a traumatic experience, socioeconomic level, low income, co-morbidities, presence of accompanying psychological disorders, low social support, marital status, lack of proper training, experiences of sexual, physical or emotional abuse or violence, drugs, history of alcohol and psychoactive substances, and low health literacy could play a role in causing PTSD in mothers who have had an abortion.

Conclusion and Discussion: According to the findings of this study, PTSD in women who experienced abortion is influenced by various personal, environmental, and social factors. Identifying these problems to improve or adjust them can have a significant impact on preventing the occurrence and spread of post-traumatic stress disorder in women who have had an abortion.



Keywords
mothers
Spontaneous abortion
Traumatic stress disorder