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Emotional reactions in women in late pregnancy (24 weeks or longer) following the ultrasound diagnosis of a severe or lethal fetal malformation
Author(s) -
Hunfeld J. A. M.,
Wladimiroff J. W.,
Passchier J.,
Uden M. Uniken VenemaVan,
Frets P. G.,
Verhage F.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1970130711
Subject(s) - obstetrics , ultrasound , medicine , fetus , pregnancy , prenatal diagnosis , gynecology , radiology , biology , genetics
We studied the emotional reactions of 41 women in late pregnancy shortly after they had been informed of the diagnosis of ‘severe or lethal fetal malformations’ and 3 months after delivery. In addition, situational variables were explored as determinants of grieving. While grief did not diminish during the study period, psychological instability was less pronounced at 3 months after delivery. More grief reactions were evoked by self‐reported easily versus self‐reported not easily initiated pregnancy, gestational age between 24 and 34 weeks versus beyond 34 weeks, multiparity versus primiparity, and viewing versus not viewing the baby.