Internet-based treatment after pregnancy loss: concept and case study

Abstract

The loss of a child during pregnancy results in significant psychological stress for many women, and may lead to long-lasting grief and psychological illnesses. However, only a small percentage of those affected seek or receive traditional forms of psychological treatment, and therefore novel treatment approaches and methods are required. This article introduces an Internet-based psychotherapy programme for patients after pregnancy loss. The five-week intervention comprises two components: structured writing disclosure and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Communication between the therapist and patient is text-based and asynchronous. The writing protocol consists of three treatment phases: self-confrontation, cognitive reappraisal and social sharing. A case report is presented to illustrate the course of the treatment and clinical considerations associated with delivering Internet-based interventions to patients after pregnancy loss.

Keywords:

• Internet
• pregnancy loss
• miscarriage
• cognitive-behavioural intervention
• complicated grief
• depression
• anxiety
• psychotherapy

Acknowledgement

This study was funded by the Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.