This systematic review and thematic synthesis explored how women cope following miscarriage without a known cause occurring up to 24 weeks’ gestation. Researchers searched seven databases and reviewed qualitative studies published between 2014 and 2024. Nine studies involving women across eight countries were included, allowing the researchers to examine common experiences and coping strategies across different social and cultural contexts.

Four key themes were identified: denying or commemorating the lost child; a changed outlook after the loss; seeking a cause or meaning; and social interactions as a source of support or pain. The findings show that coping following miscarriage is highly individual and can be strongly influenced by relationships, cultural beliefs, social attitudes and the responses of others.

This mixed-methods study examined psychological distress and wellbeing among women who had experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. Researchers analysed survey data from 839 women in Northern Ireland using the Revised Impact of Miscarriage Scale, alongside qualitative interviews with 10 women who had experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. The study explored the emotional impact of miscarriage and factors that may contribute to psychological distress and wellbeing.

Women who had experienced two or more miscarriages reported significantly greater distress relating to the loss of their baby and the experience of miscarriage as a devastating event compared with women who had experienced one miscarriage. Interviews highlighted the cumulative effects of recurrent loss, including distressing memories, fear of another loss, disenfranchised grief, isolation, guilt and the effects of stigma and inadequate support.

This Australian prospective pilot study investigated whether women with a history of recurrent miscarriage have differences in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-related metabolites that could potentially be detected in blood, plasma or urine. The study included 88 non-pregnant women aged 20–40 years: 37 with a history of recurrent miscarriage and 51 without. Researchers measured NAD and related metabolites and examined whether particular metabolic patterns were associated with recurrent miscarriage.

Women with a history of recurrent miscarriage had higher concentrations of several products of the NAD salvage pathway, particularly 1-methylnicotinamide (1MNA), 2PY and 4PY, across blood, plasma and urine samples. Plasma 1MNA remained associated with recurrent miscarriage after accounting for maternal age.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the global prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress among women following miscarriage. Researchers searched seven major electronic databases for relevant studies and included 29 studies involving 35,375 participants aged 18–45 years. The analysis focused particularly on psychological outcomes experienced within six weeks of miscarriage.

The study found that 32.5% of women experienced anxiety, 30.1% experienced depression and 33.6% experienced stress within six weeks following miscarriage. The prevalence of these mental health conditions also varied across geographical and economic settings, highlighting the substantial psychological burden experienced by women following pregnancy loss.

This Australian qualitative study explored how miscarriage is discussed in general practice consultations, drawing on the perspectives of women with lived experience of miscarriage and General Practitioners-in-Training. Participants were recruited from pregnancy loss support networks and from Australia’s national general practice training organisation.

The study identified three key areas for improving miscarriage care: stronger emotional support, clearer information, and better training for health professionals.

This UK project report examined which pregnancy loss terms are considered acceptable or unacceptable by people with recent lived experience, with the aim of improving language used in policy, public health information, websites, leaflets and other mass communication contexts. The survey was started by 664 people and completed in full by 391. 

The report found that there is no single approach to pregnancy loss language that will work for everyone, but some terms were clearly viewed as more harmful than others. Terms such as “spontaneous abortion”, “incompetent cervix”, “cervical incompetence”, “products”, “contents of the womb/uterus” and “tissue” were rated unacceptable by many respondents, while terms such as “pregnancy loss”, “baby” and using the baby’s given name were more widely accepted.

This preclinical study investigated whether boosting maternal regulatory T cells — immune cells that help support tolerance during pregnancy — could reduce fetal loss in an abortion-prone mouse model. Researchers administered IL-2 complexed with an anti–IL-2 antibody to female mice around the time of conception and assessed immune-cell changes in the uterus and draining lymph nodes, as well as pregnancy outcomes.

The study found that treatment increased the pool of maternal regulatory T cells during implantation and mid-gestation. In abortion-prone pregnancies, fetal loss was reduced from 31 per cent to 10 per cent, although treated pregnancies also showed a small reduction in late-gestation fetal weight. Similar immune effects were seen in mice with healthy pregnancies.

Researchers surveyed 46 people working in pregnancy loss in Ireland to find out why research isn't being used in practice. They found the main problems were stigma around pregnancy loss, lack of public awareness, and it not being seen as a priority. They suggest using different communication methods like workshops, media, and educational materials to better share research findings with different groups. These findings could help improve how pregnancy loss research reaches the people who need it most - healthcare providers, policymakers, and families affected by loss.