title: Couples and Miscarriage: The Influence of Gender and Reproductive Factors on the Impact of Miscarriage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to understand the effect of gender, age, mental health history, and reproductive factors on the appraisal of miscarriage in couples.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Couples Miscarriage Healing Project.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from 341 couples who had miscarried within 3 months of the original study recruitment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multifactorial analysis of variance was used to analyze baseline effects of gender, age, mental health history, infertility, number of miscarriages, living children, and gestational age on the impact of miscarriage as measured by the three subscales of the Revised Impact of Miscarriage Scale: Isolation/Guilt, Devastating Event, and Loss of Baby.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women scored significantly higher than men on all measures. Younger couples in whom either member had been previously treated for anxiety, depression, or grief were more likely to feel guilt and isolation over their miscarriage than those with no such history (13.30 vs. 11.64; p < .0001) and older couples with and without a mental health treatment history. Younger couples were also more likely to identify miscarriage as the "loss of a baby" and feel more devastated than older couples. Couples with infertility were more devastated (14.30 vs. 11.20; p < .01) and felt more isolation/guilt related to miscarriage (13.59 vs. 12.72; p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, couples experiencing miscarriage after 8 weeks gestation were more impacted than when the miscarriage occurred before 8 weeks. Recommendations for future practice and research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, Appalachian State University, Department of Nursing, Boone, North Carolina. Electronic address: huffmancs1@appstate.eduss.
authors.forename: Carolyn S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Huffman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health and School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Kristen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Swanson
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D017584:Reproductive History; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires