Women's perceptions of first trimester spontaneous abortion.

Fifteen to twenty percent of all pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion. For many women, this loss is nearly the equivalent of the loss of a real baby. To explore the complexity of women's responses to spontaneous abortion, nine women were given a questionnaire to complete regarding experiences and behaviors at the time of the miscarriage. The data revealed that each woman was affected, to some degree, by her experience with a spontaneous abortion. A comprehensive psychologic approach to this special client is needed to help more effectively the woman who aborts in the first trimester cope with the very real loss of an infant.