Results of the new survey revealed that most people lack a clear understanding of the causes of miscarriages and its emotional impact on women who experienced it.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Health System devised a 33-item survey to find out what the public think and know about miscarriages. More than 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older from 49 states participated in the online survey, which ran for three days in 2013. Forty-five percent of the respondents were men, while 55 percent were women; 15 percent reported that they or their partner had suffered from a miscarriage.
"Miscarriage is a traditionally taboo subject that is rarely discussed publicly," Zev Williams, director of the Program for Early and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (PEARL) at Einstein and Montefiore and assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology and women's health, said in a press release. "We initiated this survey to assess what the general public knew about miscarriage and its causes and how miscarriage affects them emotionally."
The analysis showed that 22 percent of the respondents believe that women who smoke or drink during pregnancy should be blamed for the miscarriage. These respondents also believe that poor lifestyle choices are the sole cause of miscarriage. However, doctors say that 60 percent of the cases are actually due to genetic and medical issues.
Other misconceptions related to the cause of miscarriages include stress (76 percent), lifting heavy objects (64 percent), having a sexually transmitted disease (41 percent) and getting into fights (21 percent).
Guilt and shame are the common emotional burden of those who had a miscarriage or helped a partner get through the trauma of having a miscarriage. The majority of the respondents felt guilty, felt like they had done something wrong, or felt alone and ashamed.
Only 45 percent reported receiving sufficient support from doctors.
"The results of our survey indicate widespread misconceptions about the prevalence and causes of miscarriage. Because miscarriage is very common but rarely discussed, many women and couples feel very isolated and alone after suffering a miscarriage. We need to better educate people about miscarriage, which could help reduce the shame and stigma associated with it," Dr. Williams said.
The study was published in the May 11 issue of the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
