Background: Following a miscarriage many women report feeling guilty and culpable for what has happened
particularly when aspects of societal blame and stigma are involved. This research investigated the impact of
cultural context on the experience of miscarriage. In particular, it focused on how elements of stigma and blame
are linked to notions of miscarriage etiology and risk among Qatari women.
Methods: The research used an ethnographic approach. The data was collected over 18 months of fieldwork in
Qatar, using semi-structured face to face interviews, and participant observation. A purposive sample of 40 women
(primary participants) who had recently miscarried, participated in the study. Potential subjects were initially
identified in the Women’s Hospital and were consented, and then interviewed in Arabic either in the hospital or at
their preferred location. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Additional key
interviews were performed with 20 secondary participants related to the miscarriage cohort including family
members and husbands. Inductive thematic analysis of content was performed manually to extract themes.
Results: Two main themes emerged from the material looking specifically at miscarriage aftermaths: rhetorics of
blame, self-blame and feelings of guilt; and miscarriage attitudes. Overall society is sympathetic and miscarriage is
seen as normal and not particularly worrying, but understood to be upsetting to women. However, findings
suggest there is some ambivalence around blame, culpability and stigma applied to miscarriage; some participants
perceived miscarriage as a relatively normal and common event, whereas, others felt that miscarriage is resounding
stigma and shame.
Conclusion: Miscarriage aftermaths are embedded in social, cultural and religious frameworks in relation to notions
of risk and causation. Attention should be paid to ensure women and those around them are given appropriate
and robust information about miscarriage causation to deflect discourses of blame that may be employed and
reduce harm to women who suffer miscarriage