Assessing the Role of Sleep, Grief, Anxiety, and Depression in a Miscarriage Population

Abstract

Miscarriage occurs at a relatively high rate in women who become pregnant with bereavement, anxiety, and depression as commonly experienced consequences of miscarriage. All of these consequences are connected to sleep disturbance, which to date has been neglected within the field of miscarriage research. Sleep is an important facet of miscarriage to evaluate because it is a modifiable behavior that may be a key component to include in follow-up care. We hypothesized that sleep disturbance would coincide with bereavement, anxiety, and depression not only among women who miscarried, but also among the partners of women who miscarried. It was proposed that sleep disturbance, in general, and insomnia, in specific, would be significantly associated with bereavement, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, bereavement would account for sleep disturbance while controlling for depression. Eighty-eight women and 67 male partners who have experienced a miscarriage within the last year completed surveys on sleep and mood. Findings showed that both women who miscarried and partners of women who have miscarried experienced elevated sleep disturbance, bereavement, anxiety, and insomnia. Both sleep disturbance and insomnia were found to be associated with anxiety and depression. Women reported significantly more mood and sleep disturbance than partners, with the exception of depression and bereavement. Sleep disturbance was associated with female bereavement levels but not partner levels; insomnia was not related to either female or partner bereavement levels. Bereavement did not significantly predict sleep quality after controlling for depression. Future studies should seek to further clarify the relationships among bereavement and sleep by attempting to provide sleep therapy post miscarriage to see if bereavement is significantly improved against a control group who receives treatment as usual. Using a prospective longitudinal design to follow participants throughout their bereavement process would better assist in understanding for whom, under what context, and during which specific time periods bereavement and sleep are most exacerbated, leading to when treatment may be most helpful.M.S., Psychology -- Drexel University, 201