Study Looks at Depression, Stress in Both Parents After Detection of Fetal Anomalies
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, July 8, 2024 -- Prospective parents experience heightened levels of depression and traumatic stress after the detection of fetal anomalies leading to termination of pregnancy, according to a study published online June 20 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Mona Bekkhus, Ph.D., from the University of Oslo in Norway, and colleagues conducted a prospective observational study to examine acute and long-term stress in men and women after detection of fetal anomalies leading to pregnancy termination. A total of 87 of 180 pregnant women with a fetal anomaly detected by ultrasound examination terminated their pregnancy; 72 partners were included in the sample. A comparison group of 93 women and their 81 partners who did not terminate the pregnancy following a diagnosis were also included. Participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Impact of Events Scale (IES).
The researchers found that higher symptom levels of depression, but not traumatic stress, were reported prior to the termination by women who underwent pregnancy termination compared with women who chose not to terminate their pregnancy. Among men, depression and all subscales of traumatic stress differed (e.g., IES intrusion; mean difference, 5.31). Over time, women experienced significantly more depressive symptoms than men (β = 4.33) and had higher symptom levels of all subscales of traumatic stress (e.g., IES intrusion; β = 5.27).
"Understanding the shared and unique experiences of women and men during this period can guide practitioners in providing clear communication, nonjudgmental support, and timely access to counselling services," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Read this next
Less 'Experienced Weight Stigma' After Bariatric Surgery Aids Mental Health
FRIDAY, June 6, 2025 -- Experienced weight stigma (EWS) improves from pre- to post-metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS), according to a study published online June 5 in Health...
Boarding Common for Pediatric Mental Health Emergency Department Visits
FRIDAY, June 6, 2025 -- One-third of pediatric mental health emergency department visits resulting in admission or transfer exceeded 12 hours, according to a study published in...
Experiencing Sacred Moments Is Common for Internal Medicine Doctors
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- For internal medicine physicians, experiencing sacred moments (brief periods of meaningful connection between clinician and patient) is common, but...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.