Coping Emotionally With Miscarriage

One month after their loss, 25% of women experienced anxiety, 12% experienced depression, and 30% showed signs of post-traumatic stress. Even nine months later, many continued to struggle—17% still had anxiety, 5% were depressed, and 15% continued to experience post-traumatic stress.

Interestingly, these emotional challenges were not limited to women without children. The rates of anxiety and depression were similar for women who already had kids, those who conceived through IVF, or those who became pregnant again during the study. The only notable difference was that post-traumatic stress tended to ease when someone had previous children or became pregnant again.

However, for those who went through another loss, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress often worsened significantly. In fact, women with a previous miscarriage were twice as likely to experience overwhelming sadness and worry compared to those who hadn’t had a loss before.

This aligns with what many people share anecdotally—pregnancy after a loss can feel filled with fear and uncertainty. Even when happiness returns, it’s often shadowed by anxiety and the lingering sadness of what was lost.

The Emotional Impact for Both Partners

The grief of miscarriage doesn’t only affect women. In a study involving both men and women, 94% still identified themselves as grieving parents even five years later. Many felt responsible for what happened, while a third blamed someone else. On average, people thought about their loss around 11 times per month, and sadly, over 10% reported having suicidal thoughts.

Men who had seen ultrasound scans before the loss were found to experience deeper distress, stronger feelings of helplessness, and higher levels of anxiety and depression than those who hadn’t.
In studies of lesbian couples, both partners often reported intense emotional pain and grief.

Finding Support and Healing

While grief after a miscarriage can feel endless, there are proven ways to support emotional healing.

• Therapy helps. One study showed that women who received a single session of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) reported a significant decrease in grief and anxiety compared to those who didn’t.
  
  
• Cognitive training can ease distress. Another study found that women who underwent mental training exercises experienced much lower levels of depression and anxiety.
  
  
• Social support matters. Women who received additional emotional support during a subsequent pregnancy reported higher well-being and resilience than those who didn’t.
  
  

Moving Forward

Grief after miscarriage is rarely straightforward. You may feel deep sadness one day, moments of peace the next, and then guilt for feeling okay. These emotions can come and go in waves—and that’s perfectly normal.

The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to go through this alone. Reaching out for therapy, connecting with support groups, or simply leaning on loved ones can make a real difference. Healing takes time, but with the right support, it’s possible to find peace and hope again.