A cross-cultural view of the emotional experience of miscarriage

Abstract

Emotional reactions of women following a first spontaneous abortion, as well as the social support systems available to them and their ability to cope were assessed retrospectively by means of structured interviews. A sample of 106 women divided into five groups representing four different cultures present in Southern Africa were studied. Both urban and rural environments were included. Findings revealed wide cross-cultural variations in the emotions experienced by women, differentiation in the availability and perceived value of support persons and variations in coping patterns.