The experience of miscarriage and its impact on prenatal attachment during the following pregnancy: A mixed-methods study

Abstract

Background: In France, miscarriage affects nearly 200,000 women every year. This life event may generate negative effects on the mother-child relationship and the mother’s mental health in the following pregnancy. Objectives: To investigate the influence of body satisfaction, partner support, resilience and previous experience of a miscarriage on prenatal attachment in pregnant women. Design: This is a cross-sectional mixed-methods study. Women answered an online questionnaire in the period between November 2022 to April 2023. Participants: 267 French pregnant women who had previously experienced a miscarriage were recruited for this study. Measurements: Study outcomes included prenatal attachment, resilience, partner support, history of previous pregnancies and miscarriages, the current pregnancy, and questions relating to body experience. Findings: Participants who reported a high investment in the current pregnancy, high partner support and a positive image of their body had higher levels of prenatal attachment. The experience of miscarriage also seems to influence prenatal attachment: pregnancy investment at the time of miscarriage had a positive influence, while medical experience had no significant impact. While the global resilience score was not related to prenatal attachment, sense of control was positively linked to prenatal attachment. Key conclusions and implications for practice: These results highlight the importance of considering miscarriage as a perinatal loss with potential for long-lasting impact on women, which deserves particular attention from professionals. Enhancing partner support and helping women build a positive image of their pregnant body can also have a role in fostering prenatal attachment to the foetus.