UNRECOGNIZED LOSS: HOW TO BEST SUPPORT WOMEN EXPERIENCING MISCARRIAGE

Abstract

Miscarriage, or early pregnancy loss, is a fairly common occurrence in the United States, with approximately 11-41% of women experiencing at least one lost pregnancy during her lifetime. Yet, despite the prevalence of miscarriage, women report dissatisfaction with the quality of care they received from their healthcare providers. The purpose of this thesis is to identify deficiencies of care in the treatment of women experiencing miscarriage and to establish evidence-based recommendations to promote quality patient care and improve patient satisfaction. Research was collected and synthesized from the CINAHL and Medline/PubMed databases. Studies show that women want providers to address their emotional needs, not just their physical needs. They want providers to fully explain the process of miscarriage and their treatment options in understandable language rather than medical jargon. Above all, they want to feel that their pregnancy loss is being recognized as a significant or even traumatic event. This thesis includes best practices recommendations and a theoretical protocol to assist healthcare providers to improve their care of this patient population.